Students given chance to 'reboot, recharge, and reconnect' during VSU wellness day

VSU leaders said the day was to address COVID-19 mental fatigue and to mitigate increased loneliness, stress, anxiety and depression that is in part due to the pandemic.

CONTINUES.VIRGINIA STATEUNIVERSITY CANCELLED CLASSESTODAY TO GIVE TIME FOR SELFCARE.SAM LIVEOUR JAKE BURNS IS WORKING FORYOU LIVE FROM CAMPUS TO TELL USHOW THE IDEA FOR THIS "TROJANWELLNESS DAY" CAME ABOUT, JAKE?THE IDEA TO DO THIS CAME ABOUTIN ABOUT A WEEK -- BUT THEREASONFOR IT -- A LONGER TREND."YOUR ARMS ALONGSIDE YOURBACK." TAKING TIME.

TO JUST.BREATHE."FI NDSTILLNES, SFIND YOURSELF,AND JUST BE THAT." STUDENTS ONTHE LAWN AT VIRGINIASTATE UNIVERSITY FREE TO TAKEINTHIS YOGA SESSION."ALL OF THAT IS BOUND UP IN US,JUST FROM TODAY." BECAUSE NONEOF THEM HAD CLASSTUESDAY."ABSOLUTELY PERFECT WEATHERFOR A SELF CARE DAY AND LOA T OFTHE ACTIVITIES ARE OUTSIDE."ON WHAT'S CALLED "TROJANWELLNESS DAY" VSU CANCELLEDALL CLASSES AND ASKED THEIREMPLOYEES TO TAKE IT LIGHT."I STARTED MY MORNING WITHMEDIATION." STUDENT GOVERNMENTPRESIDENT STUDEAND OTHERSTUDENTS BROUGHT THE IDEA TOSCHOOL LEADERS JUSTLAST EEWK."WE'VE SEEN THAT THERE IS THENEEDFOR A MENTAL HEALTH DAY TO GIVETHEM ATIME TO REBOOT,RECHARGE, AND RECONNECT WITHSOCIETY." "IF YOU ARE NOTMENTALLY WELL,THEN EVERY ASPECT ABOUT YOU SIUNWELL." DR.CYNTHIA ELLISON HEADSHEALTH AND WELLNESS AT VSU ANDSAYS FOCUSING ON THEMENTAL WELL BEING OF THE TROJANCOMMUNITY FITWITH ANOTHER TREND THEY'VE SEENON CAMPUS."OUR STUDENTS ARE VERYSTRSSEED OUT.WE'VE HAD MORESTUDENTS GO THE HOSPITAL AT THISPOINT IN THE TERM, AND WHERE ATYPICAL STAY IS 3-5 DAYS, NOWWE'RESEEING SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 8-10DAYS WTHIHOSPITALIZATION." "ESPECIALLYBEING A STUDENT HERE ATA HBNCU, OFTNE TIMES MENTALHEALTH GOES UNADDRESSED,AND AT VIRGINIA STAE, TWE TAKEMENTAL HEALTH VERY SERIOUS, ASWELL AS THE PANDEMIC." "COVIDFATIGUE IS A REALPHENOMENON.IT'S TAKING US TWICEAS LONG TO DO BASIC FUNCTIONS.SO, THE PANDEMIC HAS INTENSIFIEDTHE STRESS COLLEGE STUDENTSTYPICALLYEXPERIENCE." "COMING BACK TOCENTER."WHILE IT'S ONLY ONE DAY OFFTHE HOPE IS THAT STUDENTSREALIZETHE JOURNEY TOWARD WELLNESS ISNOT SEASONAL."IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE PANIREINFORCES MEMORY, SO WETEND TO REMEMBER THE NEGATIVE.BUT, WE NEED TO BEINTENTIONAL IN FOCUSING ON OUROWN WELL BEING WHAT'S GOINGGREAT AT THE MOMENT."VSU LEADERS SAY THEY PLAN TOINCORPORATE TROJAN WENLLESSDAYS IN THE COMING SEMESTERSTOO.TAKE FS