Experiencing seven dimensions of wellness
Brittany Bynum, Staff Writer
The Student Health Center offered students an opportunity to tour seven dimensions. No, the Center did not send students through alternate universes Wednesday afternoon, but, through booths in the brickyard, led them through the seven dimensions of wellness.
The Grow Your Wellness health fair hosted booths pertaining to physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, social, environmental and occupational factors of wellness.
“Most people think nutrition and fitness are the only factors of wellness, but this fair promotes all areas,” Marianne Turnbull, Director of Health Promotions at the Student Health Center, said.
Turnbull said the fair, even in its 15th year, received great evaluations, and it was a good stress reliever.
35 different vendors, ranging from student organizations, class projects, campus recreation, N.C. State police, health centers, and off-campus organizations such as Blue Cross Blue Shield and Planned Parenthood, attended the event.
The booths each related in some way to the seven dimensions.
Students earned t-shirts for having their cards stamped in four different dimensions and filling out an evaluation form.
The Grow Your Wellness fair also encouraged students to adapt incorporate new and healthy behaviors into their daily lives.
For instance, Campus Recreation hosted the Reduce Your Waste Challenge through action-packed, cross-fit-style stations helping people to reduce their waste and waistlines by flipping tires and doing related relay races.
N.C. State’s Surroundings, Alcohol, Friends, Exit Plan organization displayed information about alcohol poisoning. They also introduced an activity called score your pour.
To score one’s pour, a student would fill a cup with his or her perception of a standard drink’s amount of liquid for comparison against the actual standard.
Peers Advocating Choice and Knowledge, PACK Peers, promoted healthy relationships, encouraging students to write qualities of a healthy relationship on puzzle pieces and explain how they fit together in building a healthy relationship.
“The wellness fair is important because it molds a better you,” Keiara Morris, junior in business administration and member of PACK Peers, said.
Transportation wanted students to gain awareness of alternative transportation such as bicycling, bus riding, and walking, as these modes of transportation were good for both the ecosystem and personal health.
Tevin Byrd, marketing designer of transportation, said carpooling saves money and is better for our environment.
The Men’s Health booth emphasized the importance for men to get regular check-ups or examinations because they are not invincible to injuries or illness, comparing men more to Clark Kent than Superman.
Campus ministries exhibited spiritual health. The Smoking Sensation organization showed ways to prevent environmental pollution.
The career center made its appearance to promote occupational health. Students from class Prevention of Sexual Assault and Violence, PEH 335, wanted to help people understand sexual assault on more intuitive level.
The class is taught by Marianne Turnbull. Annawyn Roughton, senior in human biology, said it is a fun and interesting class.
Paul Cousins, Director of Code of Student Conduct said that 100 percent of sexual assault cases at N.C. State involve the drug, alcohol. They also shared that if two people are intoxicated and a male forces himself on a female, it is still considered rape.
One activity challenged students to wear beer goggles, which simulated a blood alcohol content of .25, and walking a straight line simultaneously.
A mental wellness booth provided mental health screenings to help students identify whether they face the threat of anxiety, eating disorder or alcohol abuse.
N.C. State Suicide Prevention Program shared a chain of hope with written words of love, family and gratefulness to encourage those who may be feeling hopeless.
