Reminding students to slow down and destress

During the week of Oct. 26-Oct. 30, Wofford Wellness and Safety Committee held a Mental Health Awareness week to remind Wofford students that their mental health is important and provide them with ways to take a break to destress.

Throughout the week, Wofford Wellness and Safety hosted multiple events that provided students with education on mental health and outlets to destress and take care of themselves. These events included passing out candy with attached facts about mental health on college campuses, a mindfulness yoga class, a virtual ac- tiveness challenge and a social media compliment chain.

The goal of the week was to both educate Wofford students about mental health and to allow students to find a moment of peace during their busy schedules.

Jo Edwards ‘22, the Wellness and Safety Committee chair for Campus Union and organizer of Mental Health Awareness week said “I know that a lot of students have been struggling with their own mental health, due to the combination of a global pandemic, a shortened semester with no breaks and the loss of many ‘traditional’ college experiences, so I wanted to create an event that showed students that we understand what they are going through, and that, sadly, they are not alone.”

Edwards also said that she believes that mental health on college campuses is a subject that should be addressed year round, not just after a tragic event occurs. She wants to encourage students to find an outlet for their stress, whether it be art, sports or spending time with their friends, especially during this time where more college students are struggling with their mental health.

Sophie Moss ‘22 who taught the mindfulness yoga class during the Mental Health Awareness week said that while she started practicing yoga for exercise, it has evolved into a body and mind experience for her. She said “practicing yoga helps me destress because it allows me to be still and qui- et, focusing solely on my body on my mat.”

Moss thought that the awareness week was an approachable way to bring awareness to college students’ mental health and a reminder to slow down during their busy lives.

Six out of ten college students struggle with mental health, a statistic that groups like the Wofford Wellness and Safety Committee are trying to bring awareness to as well as bring down. The Wellness Center and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion are two other groups that have used social media platforms like Instagram to bring awareness to this statistic. Wofford Men of Color and the Counseling Center also hosted a panel discussion earlier in October called “You Good? Men of Color and Mental Health” which addressed mental health within black communities.

These events and more exist to remind Wofford students that their mental health is important and that students should find ways to take a break and take care of themselves by find ways to destress, reaching out to your friends and talk to counselors available on Wofford’s campus.