SWL: More Than Free Finals Snacks

Many students are presently surprised during finals to find free snacks in BiHall and Davis Library, but few know the source. So who provides these treats? The Student Wellness Leaders. Though their finals snack initiative may be their most well-known (and perhaps most appreciated) project, the Student Wellness Leaders, (SWLs) do a lot more than provide food.

As SWL Grace Trueman ’15.5 informed me, the mission of the SWLs is “to first become informed about student wellness so that we are a resource for knowledge of student wellness on campus and then to also distribute that information to students.”

This semester, the SWLs are in the process of learning about female condoms and barrier methods. In January, they will get educated on mental health and nutrition.

As they learn more about health and wellness issues, the SWLs, with help from advisor Barbara McCall, Director of Health and Wellness Education, can raise awareness and educate others about these issues in many ways.

Informally, they talk with friends and classmates about wellness issues.

“The approach we have taken is more of an inter-personal dialogue with our peers, instead of making it such a formal, scary thing,” SWL Emma Erwin ’15.5 said.

More formally, they may reach out to organizations and groups on campus, such as social houses, in order to provide workshops on various aspects of wellness. SWL Oliver Wijayapala ’17 remembers facilitating a workshop last year with a social house on sleep: the members of the social house made pillows while the SWLs presented information on sleep.

The SWLs also help bring speakers to campus by contributing funds and support; for example, Wade Davis was brought to the College to give a talk titled, “From Former NFL Cornerback to LGBTQ Advocate.”

On Wednesday, Dec. 3, the SWLs hosted a tea-tasting event in Crossroads Café in which the Stone Leaf Teahouse provided samples of various teas that are good for wellness. Tonight at 9 PM in Crossroads, the SWLs will have a category on health and wellness in the MCAB Trivia Night, another way to get students thinking and talking about wellness.

Part of SWL’s mission is “creating an open dialogue and creating more conversations about health and wellness … as student wellness leaders, we don’t know all the information as we are still learning, and we’re not here to spout information out,” Wijayapala said. “We want to create these dialogues and conversations and make more people aware.

With that in mind, the SWLs have planned three Atwater dinners for the rest of this year. One will be focused on “Beating the Winter Blues,” with information regarding resources for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Another will provide a chance to talk with Parton Counseling staff so that students are more familiar with the mental health and counseling resources on campus. A third will target stress and stress-busting techniques, which is something that could benefit most college students.

Events like these can serve as reminders for students to take time for themselves.

As SWL Leslie Panella ’15.5 points out, “There’s this pressure for perfection at Middlebury … most of the clubs on campus are centered around helping others, not ourselves … which is a cool thing, but we need to bring it back sometimes.”

As crunch time nears, we need to remember to take time to take care of ourselves both physically and mentally so we can finish the semester strong. And remember, if you’re in the library or BiHall during finals week, look out for snacks in the lobby or the Great Hall – and don’t forget to thank Middlebury’s Student Wellness Leaders!