AUM students took time to unwind Sept. 18 by making dream catchers with the Center for Disability Services (CDS) and the Warhawk Academic Success Center (WASC).
The activity is part of CDS’s semester-long Mind in Motion campaign, which encourages students to “kick off each week with a positive focus” and “end each week with a relaxing check-in”. The campaign began after welcome week and will continue weekly through Nov. 20, just before Thanksgiving break.
“It was really, really soothing, and I like how it wasn’t as bustly as the average college experience or environment,” said senior biology major Da’Vine Bush.
Bush added that the event gave her a chance to relax and step away from the fast-paced nature of college life. The Reflective Thursday was the first event of its kind that Bush had ever attended on campus. She noted that students were able to fully zone in on their craft in silence, whereas most campus events include music. Bush also shared her thoughts on the broader idea of mindfulness programming at AUM. She encouraged departments to incorporate more calming activities in the semester schedule instead of only “lit stuff”.
Mya Law, a senior communication student, said the event was calming and her biggest takeaway was “having patience and slowing down.” She added that the activity helped her reset during a busy school day and finish assignments and projects strongly.
“It’s just something for students to come and get out of their usual routine,” said Catherine Statam, Senior Program Associate with CDS. She said the department hopes the Mind in Motion campaign will not only give students a break from daily pressures, but also increase their visibility and help students become more familiar with CDS beyond its few larger events throughout the semester.
Each Monday, students receive an engaging activity. During September, for example, they were given new gratitude journals filled with affirmations and prompts to encourage reflection on what they were grateful for throughout the week.
Statam emphasized the role of gratitude journaling as a part of the Mind in Motion campaign. She explained that it can help lower cortisol levels, reduce stress and improve sleep.
This claim is supported by a 2022 meta-analysis conducted by Diniz et al., which studied the causal effects between gratitude interventions such as gratitude journaling, conversation programs and expressions of gratitude and the benefits they provide to human beings. The study reviewed data from Google Scholar, MEDLINE, Embase and Central Cochrane databases. The meta-analysis included 64 randomized clinical trials. Results showed that acts of gratitude can improve mood and emotions in the general population and may serve as therapeutic support for treating anxiety and depression.
Specifically, individuals who engaged in gratitude interventions reported a 6.9% higher satisfaction with life, 5.8% higher mental health, 7.8% lower anxiety disorder and 6.9% lower depression symptoms in comparison to those who did not.
In addition to Monday activities, students are invited to participate in a hands-on craft every Thursday on campus. These events often involve collaboration with student support services and academic departments across campus.
Last Thursday, students made dream catchers while Juliet Streaty-Varnum, Student Success Advisor with the WASC, shared information about academic resources such as the Learning Center (LC) and Instructional Support Lab (ISL).
Counseling and Health Promotion Services (CHPS) also occasionally joins Mind in Motion events to inform students about the free, confidential services available to them.
Registration with the CDS is not required for students to enjoy events and utilize their services, so participation is open to all students.. Statam encourages students to “get a journal” or “make a craft” as a simple way to take advantage of the program.
The department plans to continue Mind in Motion in the spring, remaining a consistent presence in student life.
Bush expressed great gratitude for the CDS’s consideration of students’ mental health, noting that some groups who have not experienced college lack an understanding of the importance of maintaining mental health as a student. As a self-described foodie, her only suggestion for future Reflective Thursdays was to add food to the mix.
To ensure no one missed out on the reflection activity, Statam shared Monday’s gratitude journals with students who could not attend the journaling session.
