Mental Health Awareness Month is taken seriously at Fullerton College so the Student Health Services set up an event to help its’ students de-stress after a long semester. Nap pods and meditation classes among other activities were provided on campus this week.
Resting and relaxing sounds harder to do than following through our busy schedules itself.
“This event helps students relax and better manage their time for academic success,” Manushi Laheri, a peer health educator at FC said. “It’s a way for students to focus on something else other than the stress of finals week.
Students at Fullerton College were able to take a moment to rest and relax before taking finals in the upcoming week.
The ambience in the room was pleasantly soothing. As soon as students signed in, they were able to attain a break from all their responsibilities.
Hundreds of coloring sheets were spread all around the tables paired with a basket full of colored pencils per table. Relaxing music played in the background while students colored. Free healthy snacks and drinks were also provided by the Student Health Services.
Their were four napping pods in the back of the room where sanitizer and disposal bed mats were used after every session.
“Students got to take a step back from the seriousness of finals week and put their energy into something positive,” said Ban Abuqutish, a business student and volunteer.
A whole room was held for meditation sessions. Participants had instructors guide them in breathing exercises for blissful relaxation.
“It’s good to take advantage of events like these, so you don’t overwork yourself during a stressful period,” Joseph Rivero a volunteer from Human Services at California State University, Fullerton said.
Sleep deprived students have lower GPA’s due to it’s impact on memory and lack of concentration according to the National Institutes of Health.
“It’s important for the campus it’s beneficial it inspires them to do better. You can have students gain from this and push them to do good for others,” said Noah Ramos a communication studies major.
Lacking rest can lead to several health problems including: heart disease, obesity, diabetes and depression according to Mental Health America. In addition to this, there are multiple benefits to deep relaxation. It relieves stress and improves mood, as well as “it can decrease blood pressure, relieve pain and improve your immune and cardiovascular system.”
Providing resources and support is essential and the month of May is entirely devoted to breaking the stigma of mental illness. Academic success is correlated to the mental health status of an individual, according to The American College Health Associations.
Whether it’s clinical health, mental health, or health education, the Fullerton College health services offers several resources for the well-being of its’ students.
For more information on any of the services provided, please visit https://health.fullcoll.edu or call (714)992-7093. Appointments with mental health professional must be made in person.