At the Barnes Center at The Arch, there are a multitude of activities for students to partake in on a daily basis. Perhaps you’ve stopped by the gym, or visited the pool to swim some laps. Besides the fitness opportunities available, the Barnes Center offers many other wellness resources, including a new initiative, the .
Throughout the rest of the semester, the Barnes Center has a packed calendar of drop-in workshops available for students to attend and learn from. Many of the programs offered are health-related, covering topics ranging from relationships to mental health. Coming up on March 9, from 3 to 4 p.m. is the . This will help students gain skills to improve their mental and emotional health and dives into Positive Psychology. As our schedules get more packed during the second half of the semester, it is important to find ways to stay positive and find the right balance not only for classes, but our mental well-being.
Apart from offering spaces to have conversations about health, the workshops offered include topics related to budgeting, time management and career planning. Think of it as an Adulting 101!
On March 26, from 5 to 6 p.m., a will be hosted discussing the economic transition from college to work life. In this workshop, students will learn about repayment options on loans, how to budget to move into a new city and learn the value of early investing. With this workshop, students can apply skills learned to their lives post-graduation, and learn about the value of money in a post-college, more independent lifestyle.
As a myself, there are many programs within my interests, particularly in the area of alcohol and other drugs. Be Wise Peer Educators specialize in relaying information to students about safe practices regarding alcohol and other drug use. Taking a non-abstinence approach, we give out relevant tips to help students have a better, safer experience with alcohol and other substances. Being involved in such efforts, one of the workshops that stands out to me is the that will be held on March 23, from 6 to 7 p.m. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the impact of opioids on the human body, overdose rates and Narcan, a medication used to save lives of individuals that have overdosed. Interested participants may even be able to receive a Narcan kit, empowering students to take an active stance in a situation where someone else might be at risk.
Attending the workshops will not only help increase knowledge about important health topics, but better promote a culture of well-being on campus. Plus, if you attend one workshop within each dimension of health and wellness, you will earn a graduation medallion, certification and a Be Well sweatshirt!
The Wellness Leadership Institute will hold workshops throughout the rest of this semester and into next year. Learn more about the institute and find the full calendar of workshops on the .
Written by Liz Gostev ’20, College of Arts and Sciences, Be Wise Peer Educator