Students at East Carolina University will have the opportunity to focus on their mental and physical health during the first Tour de Wellness event, hosted by Campus Recreation and Wellness Today, April 23 from 11am to 3pm on the Main Campus Student Center Lawn.
The event will offer a range of activities, resources and interactive stations designed to educate and promote overall well being. “Our main goal is to provide students with mental health and overall health and well-being resources,” said Paige Smith, Well-Being Program Manager. “We want them to walk away with items they can take home and learn how to get involved with ECU’s campus.”
The event is structured as an interactive experience where students receive a map and visit different stations across the lawn. At each stop, students can participate in activities, learn about different campus resources and receive stamps before earning prizes. “We want students to take away that there is more than just going to class, going back to their dorms, and seeing friends,” said Smith. “These events start to help promote that, and to get students more outside and actually engaged within their college campus.”
The event will feature a variety of wellness focused tables, including topics like mental health, sexual health, body image and financial wellness. Students will also have the opportunity to connect with campus partners like the Center for Counseling and Student Development, which offers free counseling services included in tuition. “A lot of students don’t realize they can access free counseling,” said Smith. “Events like this help bring awareness to resources they might not know about.”
Interactive stations will include a “Love Your Body” table focused on nutrition and body image, as well as a self-care table where students answer “Myth or Fact” questions about mental health and receive items like face masks, lip gloss, soap, and other essentials. “Usually at every table students go to they’ll get a cute prize at the end of it,” said Smith. In addition to resources, the event will also include free food and refreshments, including Domino’s pizza and a “dirty soda” bar.
Planning an event like this requires weeks of coordination among student leaders and campus partners. Smith said the process involves regular weekly meetings, assigning responsibilities to wellness ambassadors, and marketing. “It really comes down to communication and teamwork,” said Smith. “Without that an event like this wouldn’t come together.”
Smith said past events like this have had nothing but positive feedback, and hope other students walk away with the same lasting impact. “A lot of students say that it is very helpful, and it had a great impact on them and they took a lot away from it.”
The Tour de Wellness event is free and open to all ECU students.