Banter with Bacteria: Sterilize the stress.

This event is designed as a supportive space for undergraduate and graduate STEM students across departments to pause, decompress, and connect. This wellness-focused gathering invites students to openly share the challenges they face in labs, classrooms, and research environments—whether it’s imposter syndrome, experimental setbacks, publication pressure, academic burnout, or uncertainty about the future. Through guided reflection, participants will explore common negative thought patterns and affirmations that often arise in high-achieving academic spaces, and learn how to reframe them into constructive, growth-oriented perspectives.

The evening will include:

• Open conversation and peer support
• Guided exercises on identifying and transforming negative affirmations
• Practical strategies for academic resilience
• Community-building discussions
• Food and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere

The goal is to remind students that they are not alone. Many of us experience similar doubts and pressures, even if we don’t always speak about them. This event fosters a sense of belonging, shared understanding, and collective strength within the STEM community.