Thursday, March 28, 2024

Mental Health Awareness Week underway, aims to fight stigma

March 19, 2018
Students enjoy the starry view on March 25, 2016 at the event Relax at the Planetarium located at Abrams Planetarium. This event is sponsored by Mental Health Awareness Week.
Students enjoy the starry view on March 25, 2016 at the event Relax at the Planetarium located at Abrams Planetarium. This event is sponsored by Mental Health Awareness Week. —

Mental Health Awareness Week, or MHAW, at MSU began Sunday and runs until Friday. The week will be filled with events aimed at promoting self-care and ways for students to de-stress.

"The goal of Mental Health Awareness Week is to release the stigma that exists around mental health and make students aware of the different on-campus resources that are available to them," the event description reads. "In addition, Mental Health Awareness Week was started to advocate for various mental health resources and help lead to the expansion of these programs."

Sunday, March 18

The week kicked off with Sweat Out The Stigma 5K on Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. The 5K promoted "using exercise as a means to de-stress and also provide students with on-campus and extra helpful resources they can use to cope with any mental difficulties they face," according to the event's description on Facebook.

Monday, March 19

The MHAW Kickoff Event will take place at The Rock on Farm Lane from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event will set the scene for Mental Health Awareness Week.

There will also be a Mental Health and Well-Being in Higher Education workshop on Monday from noon to 1 p.m. in room 110 of Chittenden Hall. 

The workshop will go over how to manage stress and anxiety, according to the event's description on Facebook. It is hosted by Graduate Life and Wellness and is sponsored by the Council of Graduate Students.

The last event on Monday will be Coffee and Coloring, which will be held at Espresso Royale from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

At the event, students can enjoy coffee, relax and de-stress through coloring, according to the event's description on Facebook.

Tuesday, March 20

The University Activities Board at MSU will have their usual Open Mic Night on Tuesday from 8 p.m. until 11 p.m. in the MSU Union.

Wednesday, March 21

Self Care at the Broad will be held from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. during Student Coffee Hour in the Broad Art Museum. 

In addition, Embrace the Rain, organized by the MSU Student Health Advisory Council, will be in the KIVA room of Erikson hall from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event will showcase individual experiences surrounding mental health through poetry, music and other creative outlets, according to the event's description. 

Thursday, March 22

Relax Under the Stars at the Planetarium will be Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. in the MSU Planetarium. The event is a chance to "take a break and relax under the stars with soft music at the MSU Planetarium," according to the event's description on Facebook.

There will also be a Therapy Dog Thursday from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Main Library, where students can pet therapy dogs. 

Mental Health Abroad will be a discussion "focusing on the before, during, and after experiences of education abroad returnees regarding their mental health," according to the event's description on Facebook. It will be held in room S105 of Kedzie Hall from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Jordyn Wieber, Olympic gold medalist and survivor of ex-MSU and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar's abuse, will speak at the Wharton Center on Thursday.

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Jordyn Wieber: Moving Forward will be in the Pasant Theatre in the Wharton Center from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. 

The event is only open to MSU students, staff and faculty. Those who are attending the event can submit questions for Wieber to discuss. 

Friday, March 23

A Mental Health Mural Unveiling will be at the Student Services Garden from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The Candle Light Slow Burn Yoga Class will be at East Lansing Hot Yoga from 8 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.

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