Students from all across campus came together this week to participate in Linfield’s annual Wellness Week.

Students from Health, Human Performance and Athletics classes, Greek Life and Resident Advisors made up the majority of volunteers, according to Kelsey Ludin, health and wellness program coordinator at Linfield College.

“I was most excited for our sexual health day, as it was one of our most popular days last year,” Ludin said in an email. “This week we handed out hundreds of our Wildcat love kits, which promoted safe sex. I believe it is important to give students the resources to make healthy decisions and reduce any stigmas attached to this topic.”

The purpose of Wellness Week is to reach out to students at Linfield and promote healthy lifestyles over the course of five days.
Each day students learn about a different health topic, where they receive basic information and resources in order to stay healthy at Linfield.

The five days included physical health, sexual health, stress management, nutrition and alcohol and drug prevention.
Students not volunteering during Wellness Week were still able to get involved, as each day there were different activities for students to participate in relating to that day’s topic.

For physical activity day students hula hooped and jump roped while learning how to take their heart rate, and on stress management day students were able to throw darts at paint filled balloons.

“Poor quality sleep and poorly managed stress are major contributors to decreased resistance to illnesses,” said Patricia Haddeland, director of Student Health, Wellness and Counseling, in an email. “Many college students feel poor quality sleep and poorly managed stress are part of the life of a college student, but they don’t have to be.”

This is also the time of year when the weather changes and people move indoors, which increases exposure to respiratory born illnesses, according to Haddeland.

Students can still vaccinate against influenza, which is the more severe respiratory illness the health center sees during fall and winter.

“Although wellness week happens only once this semester, students should always be looking for ways to stay healthy,” Ludin said. “We have a lot of great people and resources at the Student Health, Wellness, and Counseling Center. I urge students to take advantage of this and we are always looking for students to get involved around campus.”