As midterms approach, Fresh Check Day offered a chance for students to check in with their mental wellness at Water Rock residence hall Feb. 19.
This is WCU’s first time holding the event. The event was created originally by the Jordan Porco Foundation, a nonprofit created in Jordan Porco’s memory by his parents after he committed suicide his freshman year. According to the website the foundation’s mission is to “prevent suicide, promote mental health and create a message of hope for young adults.”
“I handle a lot of the wellness promotion programming at WCU,” said Claire Allison, assistant direct
or of the health and wellness education department. “I’m leading a group of awesome people and making it happen.”
Allison runs the Health and Wellness fair in September at the Catafount where the turnout is usually over 300 people.
“We felt like there needed to be a day that was dedicated to not just wellness overall but mental health specifically and this checks that box,” Allison said.
“We have eight different booths, and we’ve got campus partners from all over, so we’ve got the sociology department who’s doing a booth on stigma. They’ve got a lot of students within the sociology department who are running that booth,” Allison said.
Attendees started by checking in and receiving a card. The card had 10 boxes representing each booth. Booths covered different themes of mental health and were run by different departments and organizations. Attendees received a free t-shirt after visiting each booth.
Kathleen Brennan’s sociology of mental health and illness class created the booth “Elephant in the Room” for Fresh Check Day. The concept of the booth was originally created by the Jordan Porco Foundation.
“The department of health and wellness education invited us to participate because they knew that I study stigma related to mental illness,” Brennan said.
Students from Brennan’s class made and decorated a pink elephant. Attendees at the event were invited to write something they don’t feel comfortable talking about on a card and either display it or rip it up and put it in the elephant.
Also at the booth was a decorated mirror. Attendees could write positive affirmations on colorful sticky notes and put them on the mirror. They could then take a photo of themselves surrounded by the affirmations if they wanted.
“[My students] really wanted students and other people who participated to recognize that these things are stigmatized, but also to recognize the positive and the good things about themselves,” Brennan said.
The event was beneficial for students working at the event as well. Emery Eldridge, one of Brennan’s students at the booth, opened up about her mental health struggles.
“[I struggle] actively, most of the time. With specifically depression and anxiety and stuff like that,” Eldridge said.
For attendees like Parker Metlick, a communication major at WCU, the event taught a lot.
“I learned that it’s okay to feel that way and it’s also good to be there for people who feel that way, so they know that they’re not alone in that,” Metlick said.
Metlick decided to come to the event because he had free time. He felt showing up would show people that they are not alone.
“The more you talk about it the more you build a community with the people around you,” Eldridge said.
According to Allison, the only required booth from the Jordan Porco Foundation was the suicide prevention booth, “The Nine out of Ten” booth. The booth had resources listed for attendees and their loved ones regarding mental health and suicide prevention.
Also at the booth was a mini golf course. While golfing, attendees were quizzed on statistics regarding mental health and suicide.
Out of the Darkness and Residential Living ran the “Nine out of Ten” booth.
“Success is giving someone a new fact, like what is the suicide prevention line and what’s the difference between the lines,” said Bren Hausler, a student who was at the event tabling for Out of the Darkness. “There are mandated reporters versus ones who don’t report which I think is important because it can scare a lot of people away.”
Another booth, hosted by Bardo Arts Center, focused on using art to cope. This included coloring activities designed to help attendees unwind as well as a collage activity.
“We’re sharing art with different people so they can express themselves however they want,” said Rachel Hood, the marketing manager for Bardo Arts Center. “I think whenever art is involved it gives you a place to release.”
Allison felt the event was successful and had a high attendance. She hopes to hold Fresh Check Day again.
“If they’re just taking the time to check in, and I feel like they really are, that’s exactly what the goal was so I feel like it was such a success,” Allison said.
