Student Wellbeing Festival to encourage play, other intentional activities for lifelong holistic health
Every element of you is essential to your personal and professional journey throughout life. The Student Wellbeing Festival is an opportunity to celebrate that journey and what makes you who you are.
With events happening Sept. 23-25, the festival offers Emory students the opportunity to take a break from their daily routine and connect with themselves and each other.
The events will offer a variety of food, fun activities and giveaways. Highlights include arts and crafts, meditation, sound baths, a smoothie station, lawn games, puppies, yoga, DJs and an exciting Comedy and Conversations event.
Students must bring their EmoryCard to participate in activities.
“The Emory Student Wellbeing Festival is a chance for our students to have fun and practice well-being in a variety of ways — from snuggling puppies to playing games to engaging in meditation,” says Claire DePalma, event team leader and special advisor to James Raper, associate vice president of health, wellbeing, access and prevention. “We will have a little bit of everything!”
The festival is hosted by Campus Life’s Center for Student Wellbeing in partnership with a range of Emory departments and colleges, including Campus Life’s Student Involvement, Leadership and Transitions (SILT) initiative; Goizueta Business School; Rollins School of Public Health; the School of Medicine; and the School of Nursing.
Comedy and Conversations kicks off the celebration
The adage “Laughter is good for the soul” is as true today as ever — and how the festival will begin.
The celebration of student well-being begins on Monday, Sept. 23, at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.) in Harland Cinema. “Comedy and Conversations” will provide popcorn, snacks and giveaways. The first 150 student attendees will receive a $10 voucher to use the next day at the Emory Farmers Market.
“Comedy and Conversations” is an immersive experience that uses comedy as a tool to engage with topics that can be hard to talk about, including mental health. The event will be hosted by comedian and “What’s Good, Atlanta?” podcaster David Perdue and social curator, community leader and Emory alum Munir Meghjani.
Follow with a full day of fun
Events continue Tuesday, Sept. 24, with a variety of activities centered around Emory’s eight elements of well-being: emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, physical, professional, relational and spiritual. Students are encouraged to play and practice the skills critical to lifelong holistic health.
“We are committed to this inaugural event becoming an annual opportunity for our community to gather together, have fun, uplift one another and increase awareness of the many aspects of well-being,” Raper says.
“The festival will be a way all Emory students can kick off their academic year integrating well-being practices into their Emory experience,” says Raper. “No matter where we are in our journey, there are always ways to have fun and learn a little bit along the way.”
Sunrise Yoga on the first-year residence hall quad at 7:15 a.m. and Yoga on the Green at Goizueta Business School’s Patterson Green at 8 a.m. are great ways to get in a stretch before classes.
From 12-3 p.m., the festival takes over McDonough Field and Emory Student Center (ESC) multipurpose rooms with a bevy of activities that coincide with the Emory Farmers Market. Activities include meditation, sound baths, trivia, flower crowns, Jenga, Spike Ball, a smoothie station, puppies, music, and arts and crafts. There will be snacks and giveaways during activities in both spaces.
Students are invited to Lounge on the Lawn from 4-6 p.m. in the School of Medicine courtyard, where lawn games and other activities will be available.
Then, at 5 p.m., students are invited to chill out at Scoops with Swoop on McDonough Plaza. Bring your EmoryCard and kick back with some sweet treats, listen to cool beats and hang out with Swoop and friends.
The festivities continue
The fun continues Wednesday, Sept. 25, with Wonderful Wednesday on the ESC Promenade from 12-2 p.m.
Students of Rollins School of Public Health and the School of Nursing can participate in Wellbeing Wednesday in the courtyard near their buildings. Look for details through the schools.
Wrap up the afternoon through a Natural Movement Workshop, hosted by Goizueta Business School on Patterson Green from 4:30-5:30 p.m. All students are welcome.
Again, remember to bring your EmoryCard to enjoy the full range of festival activities. Learn more about the Student Wellbeing Festival.
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