Graduate Student Center at the University of Pennsylvania

Penn Off-Campus Services provides resources and support for students seeking to live off-campus, including information about when to look for off-campus housing, searchable rental listings, rights and responsibilities of both landlords and tenants, and how to address issues related to off-campus living.

See all upcoming information session dates on the Off-Campus Services website. If you would like to attend an online information session, please email [email protected] with the date of the session you would like to attend and they will email you a link.

Soccer fans rejoice; the World Cup is here in Philly! Whether you’re watching the matches or not, you should be aware of how the extra activity around the city may impact you. Swipe through to learn about the matches, fan events, SEPTA service changes, and road closures.

Do you have questions about student health insurance or wellness resources on Penn's campus? Be sure to join us for a live Q+A session with Wellness at Penn on Zoom. Following a short presentation about health insurance, we will open up the floor for a live question and answer (Q+A) session. Staff members from Wellness at Penn, including Insurance Navigators, members of the Grad Center, and a representative from Aetna, will be online to answer your questions. Attendees are encouraged to come prepared with any questions they may have.

Please register at the link in our bio or visit gsc.upenn.edu/events.

The Grad Center and University are closed today in recognition of the Juneteenth holiday and to provide staff and students time to reflect on the meaning and significance of the day. To learn more about the history and celebration of Juneteenth, go to nmaahc.si.edu/juneteenth

During the summer months, a change in schedule or lack of academic pressure can make it hard to stay motivated. Taking breaks is essential, but when you need to get stuff done, you can use these tips to manage your unstructured time and meet your goals.

Plan Ahead--Identify the Projects that are most important. Break those into chunks and schedule defined times to work on different tasks.
Reframe--Ask yourself why you want to accomplish a particular task or complete a project. Focus on motivations and goals.
Know Yourself--When during the day do you focus best? Maximize what you can do during that time. Take care of yourself and your body. Be sure to schedule regular breaks and prioritize sleep.
Focus on minimums--To help you get started, ask yourself what’s the minimum you have to get done in a given work session, day, or week?
Establish Accountability--Share your goals with your colleagues! When you meet your goals, reward yourself and celebrate successes.
Allow for Flexibility--Things will come up, and that’s okay! Build in buffer time so you’re prepared and try to regularly review what you’ve accomplished, and reprioritize tasks as needed.

Next Friday, June 19th will mark the 161st anniversary of our nation's second Independence Day. Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and is celebrated on June 19th, which is the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas learned that they were free--over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed and nearly five months after the 13th Amendment was proposed.

Juneteenth will be recognized through a number of events and programs on campus and throughout the Philadelphia area in the coming days. To learn more about Juneteenth, the history, traditions, foods, and celebrations, visit nmaahc.si.edu/juneteenth

Visit the link in our bio to see details about events celebrating Juneteenth throughout Philadelphia this weekend, or navigate to bit.ly/JuneteenthAroundPhilly.

June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month! The history of Pride can be traced back to June 1969, when q***r and trans patrons of the Stonewall Inn in Manhattan fought back against a discriminatory police raid. The following year, the Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade was organized to commemorate the uprising and make visible the growing LGBTQ+ rights movement. The annual event transformed into what we now know as Pride Month, which has since spread around the globe!

There are many ways to learn about and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community this month. Here are just a few resources:

– Penn’s LGBTQ Center is a resource hub that hosts programming open to the Penn community year-round.
– The Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs advocates for the empowerment of LGBTQ+ Philadelphians in official City policy and programs.
– operating since 1976, this publication reports on news and events of particular interest to LGBTQ+ Philadelphians.
– The William Way LGBT Community Center exists to serve Philly’s LGBTQ+ community through arts and culture, empowerment, and community-building. They hold a variety of events that are free and open to all.

Summer is almost here! Celebrate the start of the season with a classic Philly summer treat--water ice! We will be serving frozen goodness in the Common Room from 12:00 until 2:00 PM, or until supplies run out. Water ices are first come, first served.

This event is open to graduate and professional students, their partners/spouses, and children.

Register at the link in our bio or visit gsc.upenn.edu/events.

Bartram's Garden is a public park and botanical garden on the banks of the Schuylkill River in Southwest Philadelphia. And during the spring and summer, they offer FREE weekly activities for visitors! Swipe through to learn more.