Event provides stress relief activities for community
Fresh Check Day encourages students to check in with themselves and relax on the quad. PHOTO CREDIT: Noah Tolentino
The University of Rhode Island’s Quad was filled with therapy dogs, a petting zone filled with bunnies and the smashing of scales for Fresh Check Day.
Held last Wednesday, Fresh Check Day is a day for students at URI to check in with their own mental health and others. It is a national program that connects college students with mental health resources at their universities, as well as raising awareness about suicide and suicide prevention.
Fresh Check Day was started by the Jordan Porco Foundation, which was started by two parents after losing their son Jordan Porco to suicide when he was in college, according to their website. Most of their outreach is directed towards high school and college students.
“One in ten college students contemplate suicide, so the idea is to know what resources are available if you are struggling with mental health,” Amy Albert, the community engagement coordinator for URI, said.
The Quad had a variety of activities and booths, each focusing on a different aspect of mental health tools and support.
The Counseling Center had a booth at the event which connected students with mental health resources, including a list of student therapy groups and the steps to get a therapist at URI.
The Health Services booth hosted a campaign called “Elephant in the Room,” where students could anonymously write down issues they were facing and hang them on a clothesline.
“Students can see that they are not alone in whatever struggle they are going through,” Erica Fontanella, senior nursing major, said. “It’s important to get rid of the stigma or stereotype by starting a conversation about some of these heavy topics surrounding mental health.”
A table run by Fresh Check called “100 Reasons to Live” had a paper tree where students could write messages of encouragement or reasons to live for other students to see. The leaves of the trees included messages, such as “the sun always rises, even on a cloudy day,” and “just keep swimming.”
Students were also able to spend time sitting, petting and playing with dogs and bunnies. The two bunnies at the event, Churro and Bella, and the Counseling Center’s therapy dogs were surrounded by students looking to play catch or pet them.
Clubs focused on mental health were also present at the event, such as URI Eating Concerns Advisors (URECA).
“We promote body positivity on campus and do a lot of fun self-love activities,” Alexie Monti, president of URECA, said.
Students could write down what they were insecure about and throw it in a giant trash can or swing a mallet at a scale in a way to relieve pent-up emotions at their booth.
Besides Fresh Check Day, URI also hosts the Be 5K Walk/Run for Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention, an annual event to raise money for the Heather Fund. The 2021 Be 5K will be held in person on Oct. 23.
If you or another student you know here at URI is struggling with mental health, there are plenty of resources and people who want to help. Please reach out, your life matters. The suicide prevention lifeline is open 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255