(Photo courtesy Alpha Sigma Tau) Woman’s Wellness Week was an initiative started two years ago, by the former Alpha Sigma Tau president who wanted to encourage students to take time to focus on their emotional, physical, mental and spiritual well being.
Kyra Barry
Connector Editor
For many students here at UMass Lowell, midterms are a looming threat of last-minute studying. Many grapple with a flurry of quizzes and examinations that put to the test their abilities to maintain a school life balance.
In September, the UMass Lowell chapter of Alpha Sigma Tau held events in the spirit of prioritizing wellness, especially for the female students of UMass Lowell. Although, regardless of gender and identification everyone can benefit from a bit of wellness in their lives.
Woman’s Wellness Week was an initiative started two years ago, by the former Alpha Sigma Tau president who wanted to encourage students to take time to focus on their emotional, physical, mental and spiritual well being. Elizabeth Gacek, Vice President of Growth said, “Like every sorority on campus, we each have a different philanthropy thing, but [Alpha Sigma Tau’s] philanthropy initiative is women’s wellness.”
Due to pandemic restrictions, the event did not occur last year, but the sorority is hopeful that it will be a yearly event, especially because of its significance to students.
“I think we want to emphasize that like, it’s so important to be flourishing in all aspects of life. You shouldn’t prioritize just one and let like your mental health go to the wayside. Like, we really want to push excellence of women. Excellence does not just mean success in education or in career, excellence means success within your friendships and your relationships, your connections, your graciousness, your respect.”
Gacek’s personal favorite of the events that ran during Woman’s Wellness week, including a yoga night and a journaling night, was the panel discussion. “My favorite one every time we do this event is always the women’s panel. … [We] talked to three women from the UMass Lowell community.” The panel was set up so that students could ask any of its members questions interview style.
As part of the UMass Lowell community they serve as an example for students, exemplifying success. Some of the questions they shed illumination on was how to maintain a balance with all aspects of their lives, emotional, spiritual, physical and mental, especially in stressful times such as the pandemic, as well as how to navigate being a woman in modern day.
Panel members emphasize taking time for yourself, which may seem difficult in today’s age when productivity seems like it must dominate every second of spare time.
Alpha Sigma Tau encourages its members to take steps to better themselves and their communities, such as by taking on community service hours in addition to their academic and sorority commitments.
Woman’s Wellness week is, in a way a, philanthropic. For those looking for more Alpha Sigma Tau sponsored events, they have, in the past, supported Up Til’ Dawn, although this year UMass Lowell has changed the Up Til’ Dawn format, now going by UMass Lowell for St. Jude.
As the semester progresses, perhaps the sorority will hold another event focusing on students and their mental health, after they finish their recruitment as they focus on their own members’ development. They emphasize community and supporting each other.
It’s tempting to let habits of self care, large or small, fall to the wayside as studying and preparing academically takes up all of a student’s spare time.
But, that makes it all the more important that students take the time to keep up with their well-being, without beating themselves up or feeling guilty if they find themselves struggling, as that’s counter productive towards maintaining their mental health.
