If all the bright yellow signs haven't caught your attention yet, it's Thrive Week at UBC. What is Thrive Week? It's UBC annual week-long series of events revolving around building positive mental health in our community. Especially since we're already halfway into the semester, here are 14 UBC mental health events that will help you survive midterm season with a smile on your face.
Food
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If you haven't heard of Agora yet, it's a student-run non-profit cafe located at the MacMillan building that serves really affordable meals (nothing is over $4, yes I'm serious). They'll be serving special Thrive dishes all week, such as Tension Tamer Mint Brownies.
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There's nothing better than a warm drink when the weather's getting colder. Drop by the Pop-Up Wellness Lounges to grab yourself a cup of hot chocolate and a snack to destress and take a break. They're located at different locations at different times throughout the week.
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The Mental Health Network will be hosting a potluck dinner Monday night to help kickstart the week. Bring your friends (and food) to meet up with like-minded individuals and celebrate positive mental health.
If you can't make it for the dinner, don't fret. The Centre for Heart Lung Innovation is throwing a Halloween-themed potluck lunch on Tuesday. Feel free to dress up and bring a Halloween-themed dish.
Exercise
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UBC Yoga Club will be offering $2 drop-in yoga sessions for all of their classes throughout the week. Check out their schedule and loosen yourself up for that upcoming midterm.
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Want to get a breath of fresh air from the suffocation of exams? Visit the UBC Botanical Garden for forest bathing, strolling through the medicinal garden, and more. Tours will happen every day throughout the week at different times.
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Wrap up the week with UBC Recreation on Friday with their zumba session. It's a free event for everyone, and you can shake your booty to let out all your stress and the bad vibes from midterms.
Creativity
Thriving Through Creativity
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Feeling like something a little more lowkey? Come down to International House to paint a canvas of what you envision as "thriving at UBC". The coolest part? It can be part of a grand mural which will be showcased at the end of Thrive Week to help raise awareness about mental health.
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Calling all horror fans, UBC's Museum of Anthropology will be converting their museum into an underworld labyrinth filled with music, theatre, and painting. What's more, you can join in on making a collective altar for those who have deceased.
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Similar to Agora, Seedlings is another student-run cafe on campus. And much like Agora, nothing is more than $3.50 on their menu (I know, it's crazy). Come by the cafe for a free movie screening where they'll be serving free popcorn, as well as selling their homemade vegan brownies and hot chocolate.
Mental Health
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Having trouble with keeping your stress down? Don't worry. There's a free workshop that's all about learning relaxation techniques and strategies when you're feeling like the world is crashing on top of you.
QPR Suicide Prevention Training
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In 2013, it was estimated that intentional self-harm was the 9th leading cause of death in the whole of Canada. Suicide is extremely tough to handle, whether you're having suicidal thoughts or if you know someone who might. Drop by this training session to understand warning signs and other suicide prevention strategies.
This list was just the tip of the iceberg. There are a ton of events going on this week for positive mental health like UBC Mental Health Awareness Club events, Mindful Music Concert, Chelax Tea Time, UBC Umbrella Party, and much more.
Mental health is just as important as any other form (i.e. physical health, emotional health, spiritual health). Midterm season can be rough, and I mean, real rough. But school and education don't exist to break you. Find out what resources are available on campus, and if there aren't any, speak to someone about implementing them.