Doing well in school isn’t just about performing well academically and the Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) and Health Promotion understand that.
In order to help students perform their best in all aspects of life, CAPS and Health Promotion are teaming up to host a variety of activities through the month of October for Emotional Wellness Month.
The activities kicked off with the Healthy Minds Fair last week. Eleven departments and student clubs offered opportunities for students to write encouraging chalk messages, paint hopeful messages on rocks and write letters of gratitude in an effort to spotlight different mental health resources on campus,
“We should bring awareness to our mental well-being because our minds are always thinking and adapting to the environment around us,” fourth-year student Charles Udeze said. “Having conversations about mental health allows us to learn more about ourselves and the way we live, laugh and learn each day.”
A month-long weekly mindfulness series launches Wednesday, Oct. 9. The curriculum is designed to teach mindfulness techniques to help people relieve stress and anxiety, build relationships and be more present.
De-stress Fest will be held in the Multicultural Center on the first floor of Kolligian Library on Thursday, Oct. 10. Students can stop in between classes to de-stress with therapy dogs brought in by Therapy Dogs International. There will also be other relaxing stations with hands-on activities, such as slime-making and coloring.
CAPS will host CAPS & Coffee from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, Oct. 24, in the Cat Quad. Students can meet with counselors and learn about resources available through CAPS.
Other events throughout the month include yoga on the Pavilion lawn, a club challenge encouraging students to participate in activities all month long, meditation classes open to all students in the Joseph Edward Gallo Recreation and Wellness Center, and a screening of "Suicide: The Ripple Effect.”
“Our purpose for celebrating Emotional Wellness Month is to help end the stigma around mental health, increase knowledge of resources available for students and encourage the use of self-help strategies,” UC Merced Health Educator Amanda Punzalan said. “Ultimately, we hope these activities will better support student’s mental well-being and their success as students at UC Merced.”
