Setting aside the time to rejuvenate your body and restore your mind can be easier said than done, especially with busy day-to-day schedules and college routines. By practicing meditation techniques, Spartans are more prepared to take on any health or wellness challenge that comes their way.
UNCG was designated a JED campus this fall. This network of higher education institutions is committed to creating a campus culture that promotes mental health and well-being. “We are excited to collaborate with the JED Foundation to further strengthen our campus community and ensure that we have all of the support and safety nets available to our students,” said Cathy Akens, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. “We know our students are managing so much and so mental health and well-being is a subject we talk about openly and prioritize in the student experience.”
Why do we meditate?
Meditation acts as a source of relaxation that boosts creativity. It is a practice that helps clear the mind of distractions or experiences that may have negatively impacted one’s physical or emotional well-being by focusing on the present moment.
Mike Ackerman, associate director of the Department of Recreation & Wellness, says, “Mindfulness and meditation is intended to bring calmness to our daily lives, overall improving our mood and reducing feelings of being overwhelmed.” Some benefits of meditation include increased immunity, improved sleep patterns, enhanced mood, increased self-awareness, reduced stress and anxiety, and an improved attention span.
Below is a list of meditation spaces on and off main campus that Spartans can utilize to pause, reflect, and prioritize their wellness:
Meditation rooms
The Elliot University Center (EUC) meditation room is a community space open to all University students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Services are located in Room 064, behind the Office of Intercultural Engagement, available during regular EUC building hours. Items traditionally used for meditation are provided, but visitors can also bring their own. Students cannot reserve the meditation room, but there is no time limit on how long they can stay.
If students find themselves on the other side of College Avenue, the Eberhart Building also has a meditation room, located in Room 420. It is first come, first served. The room is a popular space for people who need time for prayer, meditation, or yoga.
UNCG Recreation & Wellness
The Department of Recreation & Wellness hosts various inclusive programs and activities that support students’ social, emotional, and physical wellness.
Alongside the treadmills and weight machines, the Leonard J. Kaplan Center for Wellness also has a Zen Zone that promotes mental relaxation. It comes equipped with Nap Pods and Hydromassage Chairs. The Natatorium has an inclusive dry sauna that can hold up to eleven people at once. Students are asked to spend no more than 30 minutes in there at a time.
Outdoors, the labyrinth at Piney Lake offers visitors another quiet and secluded area designed for meditation. Students can enjoy the natural environment by walking the labyrinth’s single winding path or by using the swinging bench nearby.
Make the time
Students don’t have to make the time for meditation alone. They can also check out the scheduled events hosted by various organizations on campus, including the Anna M. Gove Student Health Center and Counseling & Psychological Services. Student Health has regularly-scheduled meetups for mindful walking. Campus Violence Response Center also has sessions designed specifically for people who have experienced trauma.
Those events, times and dates are listed for students on Spartan Connect.
Story by Lauren Segers, University Communications
Photography by David Lee Row, University Communications
