By Grant Hochmuth
A student sits in Feinberg library growing increasingly frustrated minute by minute as the materials refuse to click in their head. With the semester ramping up, the pressure begins to build around them, almost suffocating them.
Feelings of self doubt cloud their judgement. For many students, this feeling is nothing new.
As concern for academic burnout rises, universities have been racing to combat the issue head on. SUNY Plattsburgh’s Wellness Week pushes back against burnout through a week of events focusing on student’s wellbeing. Events such as the Wellness Week Fair tackle the struggle head on.
Coordinator of the Clinton County Coalition to Prevent Suicide Bonnie Black talked about the importance for information regarding her own booth she hopes to instill in the students attending the event.
“It is one of the many walks that America Foundation for Suicide Prevention has across the country. Usually in the spring for the campuses,” Black said. “It helps to raise funds for suicide research and most of what we know today about the causes and effects of suicide, and how to prevent suidice is through the AFSP scientific research. So it’s really money to learn more.”
Student Support Services from SUNY Plattsburgh’s campus also tabled at the event. Marco Ayala-Perez from the Student Health and Counseling Center hosted an interactive project, What Is Your Common Thread? The project invited students to tie a piece of yarn to pegs on a board that they related to, weaving a web of self reflection at the end of the interaction.
“I think that during Wellness Week, that is very important because it’s important to know the struggles we may have in terms of health and mental health, but also being able to recognize when people around us need an extra hand,” Ayala-Perez said. “So this has been a really great way to make people aware, to look out for each other.”
As the day went on, more students added strings to the board. Ayala-Perez emphasized the importance of the board and the links between individuals.
“You know what? It’s interesting how the reaction is usually, ‘Oh wow, there is a lot of things I share with others,’ because I think we live in a society now where we tend to be very into what we are doing and unfortunately with social media and phones we’re not necessarily aware of other people,” Ayala-Perez said. “I think this is a realization that it is good to look around us and connect on a more personal level with the people we interact with everyday.”
Booths at the Wellness Fair offered a myriad of resources that students made use of. Senior Kristen Draper ran a booth giving DIY Salt scrub containers for students to utilize in an attempt to destress themselves.
“School is just super stressful as a student, I would know. It’s definitely nice to have a wellness week like this to de-stress,” Draper said.
For Ruth Quinal, a student who ran a D.I.Y zen garden event for students, the goal of Wellness Week goes far beyond a single event. They hoped students walked away recognizing the importance of wellness throughout the semester.
“Wellness week means to me connection, and community and giving people more awareness about what wellness truly is. What matters the most is their well being,” Quinal said. “Even though there’s a lot of obligations we have in the world such as college, work and what not. What matters the most is that you’re doing okay cause you wouldn’t be able to do any of those obligations if you’re not there.”
Members of the TRIO SSS program highlighted resources students can utilize during stressful times to accommodate students’ needs. Athena Castro, the Writing Skills Specialist at the Trio Support Service, mentioned many students are unaware they qualify for the programs support services and that Wellness Week is the perfect opportunity to raise awareness as well as strengthen the current community.
“We want to bring awareness of our programs. There are probably a lot of students on campus that don’t even realize that they’re eligible for the academic support services that Trio Student Support Services provide,” Castro said. “And also, for the students that are a part of our program already, just give them that sense of belonging and have them come and provide a wellness experience.”
As Wellness Week came to a close, members of the Wellness Fair hoped the importance of self-care echoes beyond just one week. Participants emphasized the importance of maintaining wellness not only on a personal level, but as a community.
“It is important to be aware of your own wellness, but as I said, I think this is also important that we look out for each other.” Ayala-Perez said. “I think that is sort of something that we sometimes tend to forget. That if we create a support system within each other, we can all thrive.”
