UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Health Promotion and Wellness reminds students of its spring semester programming, which is designed to support the physical and mental well-being of students.
“With midterms coming up, students’ stress may be rising. A lot of these programs are geared toward stress management,” said Erin Raupers, assistant director of Health Promotion and Wellness. “They are hands-on activities for students to practice strategies to reduce their stress and anxiety and building a sense of community.”
Health Promotion and Wellness (HPW), a unit of Student Affairs, aims to increase student awareness and knowledge of health and wellness issues, promote healthy behaviors, provide health education, and advocate for a healthy Penn State Community. It offers a variety of programming throughout the week, including Yoga and Meditation, Mindful Mondays, Mindful Meditation, and Well-being Wednesday. Later in the spring semester, HPW will offer Shinrin-Yoku, the Japanese practice of “forest bathing.”
Yoga and Meditation takes place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Mondays and 5 to 6 p.m. on Thursdays in 118 Pasquerilla Spiritual Center. No registration is required, but there are a limited number of mats and blocks available. All skill levels are welcome. Sessions will be held through April 27.
Students who cannot attend in person are encouraged to view the recorded Yoga and Meditation classes from previous semesters, which can be found on the Healthy Penn State blog.
Mindful Mondays is an interactive program facilitated by HealthWorks peer educators where students can learn stress reduction strategies. These sessions take place from noon to 12:45 p.m. on Mondays in 124 Findlay Commons. Sessions are limited to 15 participants. Students are encouraged to bring their lunch. These sessions will be offered through April 17.
Mindful Meditation sessions take place from 3 to 3:45 p.m. on Mondays in 118 Pasquerilla Spiritual Center. This weekly meditation session introduces students to basic meditation practices and techniques. Each session will include a guided meditation and a brief discussion on topics such as managing stress, healing relationships and finding meaning. No prior meditation experience is required.
Well-being Wednesday activities, which focus on student wellness, are held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays throughout the Intramural Building. Peer educators host outreach tables in the lobby of the IM Building.
Shinrin-Yoku is a guided walk through the forest where participants engage in various activities that help them connect with nature.
Walks take place from 4 to 5:15 p.m. and 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. on Wednesdays starting March 15. Registration, which can be completed through their online form, is required. Each session is limited to 15 participants.
HPW offers free wellness services where students meet with a HealthWorks peer educator to discuss a variety of wellness-related topics, including sexual health, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and stress. Appointments take place in the Wellness Suite, 20 IM Building, and can be scheduled through myUHS.
Students are also invited to use the Relaxation Room, located in the Wellness Suite, 20 IM Building. Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, the space features biofeedback software, coloring pages and books, light therapy boxes, a Zen garden, a Buddha board, and relaxation audio tracks.
For more information about wellness programming, students can visit the HPW Events & Programs webpage. Students are encouraged to follow @studentwellnesspsu on Facebook and Instagram. Students can contact HPW by sending an email to promotinghealth@psu.edu or calling 814-863-0461.