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Syracuse University’s Student Association is hosting its eighth annual Mental Health Awareness Week in partnership with the Barnes Center at the Arch from Oct. 2 to Oct. 7.

“(We’re trying to show) how important it is, especially for our generation, to be very aware of mental health as a part of our lives … and work in a way that really prioritizes that balance in our life,” SA President David Bruen said.

Bruen said SA will highlight mental health resources on campus, promote regularly-held events such as meditation and pet therapy, and hold a concert Thursday night. Carla Guariglia, SU’s first mental health advocacy student director, will also be included in this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week.

Guariglia, who founded and is a current member of Stand with Survivors SU, said Bruen reached out to them at the beginning of the semester and encouraged them to apply for the new position.

“I want to try to understand student’s needs and be very transparent and relay the resources that they need, but also understand when (resources) need to be more accessible,” Guaraglia said.

SA is hoping to address several mental health-related initiatives, including reducing wait times for counseling services and introducing more specialized therapists, Guariglia said.

“We have too many students on this campus,” Guariglia said. “We don’t have enough therapists.”

Guariglia and University Affairs Chair Kennedy Williams collaborated to plan and execute programming for the week’s events. Bruen said SA created the position to improve the organization’s “efficacy” in mental health.

Stress is normalized in an academic setting, Williams said, and students should understand how to handle that stress. Through the events, Williams hopes students can find ways to decompress after the week is over, even if they are small.

“I really hope that they apply this message to all aspects of their life, not just school, because oftentimes, you know, family and relationships provide just as much stress,” Williams said. “Mental health always matters, and it’s always present. It’s always affecting you.”

SA will table on Tuesday and Friday at the Schine Student Center, distributing pamphlets outlining mental health resources available to SU students. The pamphlets will include information regarding on-campus resources as well as apps like Headspace, a mindfulness app free to SU students, and Kognito, which helps users practice creating inclusive communities, responsible medical drug use and suicide prevention.

Williams said SA is looking to use the tabling event to better publicize resources, many of which students don’t know exist.

“We hear a lot about people saying, ‘Oh, I didn’t even know we had that’,” she said. “Even if you don’t stop to paint or color (at the table, we’re) just making sure that people know that there are options if they’re feeling overwhelmed.”

SA is also organizing the “Stop the Stigma” concert, which is set to take place on Thursday at Hendricks Chapel from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The concert will feature the Groovestand, The Mandarins, the Creations Dance Company and Black Reign Step Team, according to the event’s webpage.

Bruen and Williams said Yasmin Nayrouz, the vice president of university affairs, planned and coordinated the events with Barnes.

“We’re putting all of our energy into making sure that students see that they are seen,” Williams said.

Published on October 3, 2022 at 11:59 pm