Mental Health Awareness Month will focus on building community at CWU

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the CWU Office of Health Promotion is acknowledging the observance in several ways. Everyone has a mental health status that can fluctuate, and the Office of Health Promotion wants to remind students about all of the helpful resources that are available to them.

Because mental health is dynamic, it can be helpful to understand the way different experiences or actions can improve or harm your mental well-being. For example, physical activity promotes mental health, both by improving energy and positive mood and offering an outlet that can reduce stress and anxiety.

Participating in social activities, whether joining a club/hobby group, dining with friends, or volunteering for a meaningful cause will boost neurochemicals that improve mental health. There is also benefit in recognizing when you may be struggling, and knowing how to reach out for help.

As Health Promotion Coordinator Jasmine Cottam explains, students don’t always know where to turn for support.

“When students arrive on campus for orientation and Welcome Week, they are receiving all kinds of new information, and they don’t always remember where to go when they need support,” Cottam said. “The resources are out there, but we’re trying to do a better job of helping our students find them.”

One of the most common mental health concerns for first-year students is homesickness. Many of them are living away from home for the first time, and it often takes time to make friends and build a social network.

Cottam and their colleagues want to provide all students with easily accessible information that will contribute to a better college experience — and, hopefully, support their success at CWU until they graduate.

“We want to highlight the different offices and organizations that are available to help people find community,” they said. “Our goal is to help bridge the gap so our students can find the support they need.”

The Office of Health Promotion is working on making those resources easier to find through a new online guide, patterned after the Kittitas County Resource Guide. The directory provides information about connections at CWU, in Ellensburg, Kittitas County, and around the country that can help students flourish.

The guide, currently in development, will include the resource website, contact information, cost, and more to help students find the support they need. The guide is also intended for CWU faculty who want to advocate for their students.

“We are framing this year’s Mental Health Awareness Month as ‘building a community of care,’” Cottam said. “We hope people will think about new ways they can help other people, and remind them that helping others can also benefit you.”

One of the ways fellow CWU students have been building community is through a new student group called Money Savvy Wildcats. The peer-led organization pairs financially educated students with students who need a helping hand with understanding loans, starting a budget, or building up emergency savings.

Learning life skills like balancing a budget can go a long way toward building self-confidence, which leads to improved mental health. With that idea in mind, the Office of Health Promotion will be hosting a free, conference-style event on May 8 called “Adulthood Unlocked,” where faculty and staff will impart a variety of life skills to attendees.

The event will be held from 2-4 p.m. in the SURC, offering tutorials on things like cooking your own meals, changing a tire, managing your finances, and doing regular mental check-ins.

“Learning life skills will build confidence and self-reliance, which can go a long way toward building strong mental health,” Cottam said. “Faculty and staff will come together in one place to teach students the things that will help them when they graduate or live off campus for the first time.”

Aside from the importance of building community, the most important thing to remember during the next month is that mental health doesn’t always refer to adverse conditions like anxiety or depression. Cottam reminds us that the term “mental health” also has many positive connotations.

“We also want to talk about how we can help you flourish,” they said. “You need to know the warning signs of being burnt out or stressed, but you also need to focus on how you can have positive mental health. Hanging out with friends, getting your homework done on time, spending time outdoors — these are all important ways you can care for yourself.”

To learn more about Mental Health Awareness Month and the “Adulthood Unlocked” event, follow @cwuhealthpromotion on Instagram or email healthpromotion@cwu.edu.