From affirmations displayed on a big screen to students painting canvas tote bags and chocolate cupcakes on every table paired with great music, activities at Wellness and Recreation’s “Howl and Chill: Cultivating Self-Love” event celebrated self-love on Feb. 21.
Every month, the Wellness and Recreation center hosts Howl and Chill, a student wellness program that gives the campus community an opportunity to relax, de-stress and practice self-care. In an effort to make the month more inclusive for all people regardless of relationship status, this February’s theme was self-love.
Cameron Nix, wellness programs coordinator for Wellness and Recreation, said these activities on campus are important, as they provide students with an opportunity to collaborate with each other and ultimately foster a sense of community.
“It’s really an opportunity for folks who might not normally get together to have a space to do that,” Nix said. “Not only first-year students come out here, but also students of all years. So these Howl and Chill events are really for students.”
Seth Thomas, a third-year studying chemistry, said that it’s great to have these sorts of free events available to everyone as it might be difficult for some students to go out and do these things by themselves.
“I think it’s really sweet,” Thomas said. “It’s nice to have something creative to do that also promotes self-care.”
Some students working at the event with Wellness and Recreation, such as Caroline Lessard, a third-year studying psychology, and Kylie Goodman, a third-year studying nutrition, said these activities help promote self-care in the campus community.
“It’s an act of self-love in itself to take time off your busy schedule to do something fun like this,” Lessard said.
By the end of the night, approximately 50 students had showed up to this month’s event to design canvas bags with positive messages and get some self-love inspiration from the positive affirmations exhibited, which included phrases like “I am enough,” “I am appreciated” and “Today will be a great day.”
Akira Brown, a third-year studying chemistry, said besides being a good stress reliever, the event was really important as it focused on cultivating self-love.
“School is hard, so it’s nice to have a break from schoolwork and everything else going on,” Brown said. “And also with the self-love theme. A lot of people need self-love.”
By providing students with tote bags that they may personalize with positive affirmations, students are now able to carry these messages throughout campus and continue fostering self-love in our community.
“Not only is that something they can carry with them, but sort of also cultivating that idea [of self-love],” Nix said.
In the future, Wellness and Recreation will host “Howl and Chill: Trail Mixer” in March, with the purpose of giving students the opportunity to customize their own trail mix before hitting the trails at Lake Raleigh.
Nix encourages more students to assist Wellness and Recreation wellness programs, as they’re a really great opportunity for students to meet new people, give our campus community the space to unwind, take a break from schoolwork and have fun with friends.
“[These events] give me something to look forward to at the end of the day, which is nice,” said Sadie Dibb, a second-year studying human biology. “And also, it brings people together.”
