Active Minds winter quarter recap

Hello Stigma Fighters! As spring quarter treads on let’s take a look back at all that Winter had in store for UCLA’s Active Minds chapter!

One highlight was last quarter was the “Me and Schizophrenia” event which gave our campus a chance to understand a condition that is often misconstrued in media. This event also gave some new members of our wonderful Education committee a chance to thrive and help organize this event.

Thanks to our workshops committee, Active Minds had the exciting opportunity to hold a Mental Health Networking Night in Ackerman. This event brought together students and professionals alike who have a passion for mental health and destigmatizing while raising awareness. One of the best parts of being a part of a chapter as great as UCLA’s is the opportunities to engage in such opportunities that open the door for a career in the cause we all hold so close to our hearts. 

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​Also put on by our wonderful workshops committee was the Transfer Workshop: Stress Less, Connect More. Transfer students are often put under a unique kind of pressure and this workshop reminded us to reflect and connect not only within the transfer community, but on campus as a whole.

Premeds! If you found yourself at I am Pre-Med January 25th, you were likely graced with several panelists who gave us an interactive yet highly informative session on how pursuing medicine can be extremely rewarding but at a high cost- financially and personally. This event connected Active Minds to a large sector of students on campus who were not as familiar with our club, and created a dialogue on the intersection of highly demanding coursework in a school like UCLA, and one’s personal health and wellness. Thank you to Anusha Sadda for her tireless dedication to this event which gave so many students a chance to forge their “own path to medicine under the guidance of medical students.” 

Another highlight from the quarter was our collaboration with our fellow SWC committees for our Eating Disorder Awareness Week during 8th week- a time in the quarter when it is very easy to not prioritize health and wellness. Monday kicked off on BruinWalk with fellow bruins coming out to share why they love their body. Wednesday saw the Body Acceptance Art Space where we were able to make therapeutic art and repurpose scales. On Thursday was My Distorted Reality- a poignant and valuable conversation on the effects an eating disorder has upon someone’s perception of themselves. This event gave us all a chance to reflect on the causes and effects that manifest into a distorted reality- and why it is so difficult to heal from this altered perception. By Friday, we were back in our spirits to pledge to love our bodies in the coming year, and for the rest of our lives! 

All good things must come to an end, and this includes Winter Quarter. However it did not conclude without our events committee putting on the Stress Less Kit Fair Week 10! This fair gave us and students from all over campus a chance to pick up kits that had valuable tools and materials for entering the monstrosity that is week 10. These kits are a tradition within Active Minds, and we look forward to sharing these kits all year despite the finals that they coincide with- remember to prioritize your health even week 10! 

All of Winter Quarter, and continuing into Spring, saw tireless dedication spearheaded by our Finance Director, Valerie Vessels, towards the success of our bracelet campaign. These award-winning iSupport bracelets are each handmade by an SWC Active Minds member and represent a different mental illness, represented by the nationally recognized awareness color. 100% of the proceeds contribute to Active Minds!

Every quarter brings new highs and lows and Winter was no exception. While it may be extra difficult to stay positive and energetic when the days are shorter and the work is getting harder, hopefully Active Minds has fostered a community where one can feel supported and appreciated even through the infamous Winter Quarter. Here’s to Spring!