For Students

Helping a Friend

As a student, you may find yourself concerned with the behavior, emotional concerns or demeanor of a friend. Many students talk with a counselor at the CSDC because they want some ideas about how to be helpful to another person. If a consultation meeting with a counselor would be helpful to you, feel free to call for an appointment.

In the meantime, remember:

• Listening to and putting yourself in the shoes of the friend about whom you are concerned can help them feel understood and cared about.
• If you want to explain to a friend why you are concerned, be as specific as you can. Being direct is also advisable; attempting to deceive or trick someone into getting help is unwise.
• Change often happens in stages. When you encourage a friend to go to counseling, you plant a seed for change that may not take hold right away. Keep in mind that when you suggest counseling to a friend they may not be ready to take in this suggestion and might even be offended or disregard it. If this happens, it can be helpful to remind your friend that you're there for them if they need help. Sometimes people aren't ready to accept help right away but will remember that you're available for support when they're ready.
• If you feel that getting someone to help is essential, you may consult with a counselor at the CSDC.  

The following are indications that a student may be experiencing significant emotional distress:

• Noticeable change in personality
• Frequent crying
• Dramatic weight loss or gain
• Social withdrawal
• Alcohol and/or other drug use or abuse
• Odd behavior, peculiar speech
• Deterioration in personal hygiene
• Direct or indirect reference to suicide, preoccupation with death and morbid subjects
• Failure to attend class or do assigned work
• Frequent requests for attention, highly dependent behavior
• Compulsive behaviors
• Unruly, abusive behavior; ongoing anger; vandalism
• Listless, lethargic, "depressed" appearance
• High-risk sexual behavior
• Self-injurious behavior (e.g., cutting, burning)
• Hopelessness

Making a Referral 

If you believe that a student would benefit from talking with a counselor, there are a number of things that you can do to make a referral:

• Suggest that the student take a look at the Counseling & Student Development Center web page.
• Remind the student that conversations with counselors are confidential.
• Offer to make the call with the student to set up an appointment.
• Remind the student that our services are free to Bucknell students.
• If you have ever benefited from talking with a counselor, and you are comfortable with this sort of self-disclosure, share your experience with the student.
• It may also be helpful to remind the student that in an after-hours emergency they can reach the on-call counselor by dialing 570-577-1604 and choosing Option 2.

If you believe that the situation is urgent, you may want to: 

• Suggest that the student accompany you to our office — no appointment is necessary in an emergency.
• Follow up with the student and ask about their visit to our office.
• Call our office to consult with one of our counselors.

Self-help Resources

Self-help refers to the act of helping or improving oneself. There are many different ways in engage in self-help activities; different people respond to different activities in different ways. In addition to taking advantage of the many support services at Bucknell, below are ideas about how to include self-care in your life.

• Alcohol education screening
• On-campus activities: There is a lot to do at Bucknell. Check out the CAPS center to find out ways to get involved. 

Learn more about our self-help resources

Outreach Programs

Counseling & Student Development Center staff are available to present lectures, workshops and programs to your group, organization or class.

Learn more about our outreach resources