The Wellness Center held a Board Game Wellness Day designed to give students a comforting space that would wash away the stress of the year. On Friday, May 15th, students were allowed to visit the wellness center and play a variety of board games ranging from table games like Jenga to more obscure games like YAHTZEE. The atmosphere was really cozy, the blue lighting mixed with the red aura of the lava lamp. The multitude of bean bag chairs created a mellow environment. There were around 15 students there playing either card or board games. There were students relaxing in a makeshift tent playing Uno, some were sitting on the carpet piecing together a puzzle, and some crowded the tables playing tabletop games.
Choosing to center this event around board games would help the Wellness Center use its board games while also promoting stress relief, Wellness Center Liaison Storm McNerney said.
“Because I have the supplies already, and they typically don’t get a ton of attention or play, some haven’t even been opened or played before,” McNerney said. “I really wanted to encourage connection with friends and just making use of the supplies that I already have available to me. So I thought that it would be a really good time to try to connect with friends while it’s the most hectic time of the year,” she adds.
The Wellness Center helps students calm down because of the well-crafted, cozy atmosphere the area brings, freshman RJ Patterson said.
“I think it’s the fact that a lot of the time it’s pretty quiet, and there’s different puzzles and board games, and there’s also nice seating, and it’s really comforting compared to just the regular school atmosphere,” Patterson said.
Additionally, board games are still great for students’ mental health, McNerney said.
“If it’s something that somebody enjoys doing, or if somebody is interested in trying something new out, it can just be a really enjoyable experience to play games, whether it’s Scrabble or you’re more of a brain teaser person, like Uno,” McNerney said.
The Wellness Center can provide students with a much-needed break in the year, freshman Brisa Morales said.
“I wanted to try something new,” Morales said. I’ve always heard about the wellness center, and it just caught my attention. I felt like I just needed a break at some point,” she adds.
To plan this event, the Wellness Center must work with its Students Wellness Advisory Group (SWAG) to coordinate an event, McNerney said.
“They come together once a month, where we just talk about how to make the Wellness Center more inviting, how to get new visitors, how to spread the word on how to use the wellness center,” McNerney said.
Regardless, the Wellness Center is not just a place to skip classes, but an area for students to sincerely destress themselves, McNerney said.
“We need to not just always be stressed,” McNerney said. “We need to find ways to feel joy, find ways to feel joy when we feel like we’re struggling or so stressed out,” she said.
Board game event at wellness center provides safe space for students
