""What makes it harder or easier to get a good night's sleep at school?" "What are your creative solutions for finding food that feels nourishing on campus?" (for non-athletes) "What were your favorite ways to get movement into your busy schedule?" (for athletes) "What was the best part of being on the team? How do you feel it impacted your physical health?""
"Letting students know that their mental health is important-not just their grades or resume-builders-helps them understand you aren't just prying into their lives, but that you genuinely care and understand what a struggle it can be to stay mentally healthy in college. Picking a time when they aren't exhausted or running off to the next thing is essential. Accepting that they might reject a question, and not pushing it, is respectful and will set you up for success the next time. It helps to be thoughtful about framing your questions as open-ended-the type which requires more than a yes-or-no answer."
Open-ended wellness questions encourage meaningful conversation and reveal students' coping strategies. Thoughtful timing and respecting boundaries create safer, richer exchanges and increase willingness to share. Active, distraction-free listening builds trust and connection. Framing inquiries as open-ended, not yes-or-no, invites fuller responses. Accepting rejection without pressure preserves respect and supports future engagement. Practical conversation starters can address physical health, time management, sleep, nutrition, movement, study spaces, and routines. Differentiated prompts for athletes and non-athletes tailor the approach. Consistent, caring attention to mental health signals that wellbeing matters beyond grades.
Read at Psychology Today
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