August of 2020 posed a new question for the nation on how students would attend school.
Through a mixture of online courses, mask-wearing and social distancing, there is an emphasis on keeping physical health, but there also is a rise of mental health awareness.
Student organizations such as Active Minds try to help students manage their mental health. Active Minds has over 500 chapters across the U.S. They are student-run and student-informed.
“Active Minds… has the student try to be the bridge between the student body and mental health services on campus,” Markie Pasternak said, an adviser at Active Minds.
Pasternak attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as a psychology major where she was the president of their Active Minds chapter. Additionally, she was the national president of Active Minds as a student. Later, she went to graduate school for student affairs, until Justin Johnson offered her a co-position in Auburn’s chapter.
This year, Pasternak and the entirety of Active Minds has made some major adjustments to their program to accommodate COVID-19. Active Minds programmed events virtually last semester, as well as partnered with Auburn University Campus Recreation and Wellness Center to do socially-distanced Yoga on Cater Lawn.
In addition, Active Minds was still able to put on their Mental Wealth week. Their main focus was partnering with the Interfraternity Council to do a social media series about men and mental health stigma.
“They also have mental health struggles and mental health issues, just like anyone or any gender identity,” Pasternak said.
Organizing any other event besides virtual has proven to be a challenge, she said.
“It can be really hard to balance,” Pasternak said. “On the one hand, you have your mental health and on the other, you have your physical health- staying away from COVID-19 and keeping yourself safe. We’ve been encouraging students to try to do things virtually as much as possible, just with other people. Just because you’re physically distanced doesn’t mean you have to be socially isolated.”
Active Minds has been promoting friend-infused Zoom calls, or group Zoom game nights, as well as safe outdoor activities. However, quarantine can also put quite a strain on anyone’s mental health. In that case, Pasternak recommends telling a friend about your struggles.
“Ask for what you need,” she said. “People aren’t mind-readers. Be vulnerable in that with your friends and family.”
Active Minds encourages a 3-step approach their members to use when someone comes to you with a mental health issue.
The acronym is VAR, which stands for Validate, Appreciate, Refer. First, their feelings must be validated — not underestimated as something that is easy to overcome. The second is to appreciate that they came to you.
“Say, ‘You’re taking a chance on trusting me right now and I appreciate that,’” Pasternak said.
Finally, refer them to a person or activity that could be of service. Pasternak said that could be a walk or making an appointment at the counseling center, but whatever it is, do it together.
Luke Sauls, junior in visual media, said with mental health, knowing someone has your back can make all the difference.
“I feel like one of the most important [things] that a friend or family member can do when someone is struggling is to offer them support,” he said.
Between online school and being a freelance editor, Sauls said he understands the struggles of sitting at a computer all day.
“I believe it is very difficult to focus on a task when I’m forced to use the same computer to learn that I procrastinate on,” he said.
To combat stress and fatigue, Sauls said he spends his energy on de-stressing techniques. Some of his favorites include working out, meditating, finding a safe way to see friends or maybe going on a run, he said.
Health Promotion & Wellness Services believes in the Nine Dimensions of Wholistic Wellness: Physical, Emotional, Intellectual, Spiritual, Social, Environmental, Occupational, Financial, and Cultural.
“No dimension is isolated and no dimension makes up your entire wellness,” Pasternak said. “Your physical health and your mental health go hand-in-hand.”
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Emery Lay, junior in journalism, is a lifestyle writer at The Auburn Plainsman.
