Describe your program and how it enhanced student life at OSU.
On Tuesday, October 28th, 2008 Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc held a program entitled “Pearls of Relaxation” at the Frank W. Hale Black Cultural center. The purpose of this program was to inform the campus community of the physical, social, and mental effects that stress can have on you, if not properly managed. Our goal was not only to inform them of the effects of stress, but it was also to teach them ways to handle stressful situations, and prevention methods through a variety of interactive activities.
When the program began, the chairman, Melinda Jackson presented a brief power point on stress. The power point described what it means to be stressed out, and what kind of effects stress can have on your body. The power point also described symptoms of stress, and ways to manage it. After the power point was presented, we broke participants up in to four different groups. The groups were named after things that are significant to our sorority. There was a pink team, a green team, a team ivy leaf, and a pearl team. Each participant received a card with their team name on it. The card also had direction on the back which explained what break out session they were to attend first. Each group was assigned a group leader, and the leader was responsible for leading the participants from station to station.
There were four session throughout this entire program. Each session lasted 20 minutes. The first was a self massage station. In this station Melinda Jackson explained how to give basic self massages. She informed us of pressure points, and ways to sooth them. The group was then taught how to give basic hand and shoulder massages. Massages have proven to be an effective method of relaxation when stressed out. After she demonstrated how to perform these self massages on a volunteer, participants paired off into two’s and performed massages on each other. This not only relaxed participants at that moment, but it is an easy way for them to relax during stressful times. Self massages are perfect for college students being that they are cost effective and can be performed in a dorm room. Before venturing to the next break out session Melinda did an overview of the pressure points, and the different ways to massage them. Each participant also received a card containing all the information they learned in that station.
The next build up station was entitled “Team Build Up”. In this station everyone sat in a big circle next to someone they did not know. First, participants in this group had to tell a unique fact about themselves. Participants were then told to find something amazing about the person they were sitting next to. Participants went around the circle, and out loud they each said something nice about the person sitting to the right of them. The purpose of this station was to help build each other up with positive reinforcement. On a daily basis people are often faced with negativity. Having someone give you encouragement, and speak positive things into your spirit can change your entire mood. This was another way to help release any negative energy and replaces it with positive energy. After 20 minutes of building each other up the group leader then led their team to the next station.
The next station was a smoothie station. In this station a relatively new business located on high street called “Inta Juice” brought in representatives to speak about the importance of a healthy life style. They taught the participants about nutritional supplements as well as different fruits and vegetable blends that they offer in their smoothies. They also brought in samples of their smoothies for participants to taste. Participants were able to witness great tasting smoothies that were also very healthy. Participants also received a coupon for money off their next order at Inta Juice.
The last of the four stations was a yoga station. In this station participants were taught the importance of physical activity, like yoga to help manage stress. We had a committee member who was well knowledgeable on how to perform yoga lead this session. She demonstrated how to do some common moves. These moves where easy to do, and they were also relaxing. Participants listened to soothing music as they imitated the moves that the session leader demonstrated.
This was an outstanding program because it was not only informational, but very interactive. Participants were taught ways to manage their stress and were given the opportunity to perform some of the things they learned. They were equipped with all the necessary skills needed to tackle stress, and it was done in a way that could be beneficial for any college student.
Why is this program the most outstanding at OSU? How does it actively involve students, embrace the university initiatives of diversity and/or collaborate with other organizations or university departments?
Pearls of Relaxation contained many elements. It was not only informational, and interactive, but it also brought many diverse groups of people together. Stress is something that college students of all races, shapes, and sizes face. It has no respect to color, major, or gender and the campus community realized that. Participants ranged from African Americans, Caucasians, Arabic’s, Native Americans as well as a mixture of men and women. Because of Pearls of Relaxation participants were able to build long lasting relationships with others in attendance. Everyone came together with the common goal of learning how to manage stress, and ways to lead a healthier life style.
What made this program unique were the levels of interaction it contained. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc could have simply brought in a speaker to talk about stress, and some good ways to manage it, but we felt the need to teach as well as give the participants the opportunity to see firsthand the best ways to managing stress. Pearls of Relaxation had four different breakout sessions which allowed participants to communicate and interact with each other, while learning stress management techniques. Not only were participants able to interact during the breakout sessions, but after the program concluded there was time set aside for refreshments and mingling. This gave participants as well as the members of the organization a chance to get to know other students they might not have known prior to this program.
Alpha Kappa Alpha considers “Pearls of Relaxation” to be the epitome of learning. Participants were taught what it meant to be stressed out, and the possible effects that stress could have on one’s body. After informing the participants on stress they were taught simple things they could do to manage it. Simple self massage tips, nutritional diet tips, and easy yoga movements were upon the many things participants learned. They also learned unique facts about others in attendance, and how to be build each other up using positive reinforcement.
This program was a service to the campus community in many ways. It helped bring awareness to a common issue we all face which was stress. We often find ourselves stressed out in life over various things. It becomes a major problem when it is not properly managed. Because of this, people may cause harm to themselves or even others. This program taught ways to keep stress in order, and hopefully by us doing “Pearls of Relaxation” the campus community will be aware of the things that cause them to stress out, and they will take the proper measures to treat it.
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