Connor Heaton
Staff reporter
cheaton@jccc.edu
Yesterday afternoon, the Student Wellness Program hosted a brief mindfulness meditation seminar to help students unwind before the chaos of finals.
Passers-by joined together to create self-affirmation signs and at precisely 12:05 p.m., dozens of students gathered together to reflect and be mindful, in the midst of the gloomy, rainy weather.
The meditation was voiced by Tina Pulley, adjunct professor, Health and Wellness, and it allowed students to let go of their troubles and mountains of stress — if only for a few minutes.
“You don’t have to put on your yoga pants and it doesn’t have to be in a dark, quiet space,” Pulley said. “I think those are misconceptions or religious things that we’re trying to break down. Our goal with mindfulness is that we can we be mindful in the chaos of life.”
Pulley described mindfulness as the quality of being conscious and aware while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings whether they like them or not.
“If you are driving, drive, if you are in a conversation, be present in that conversation, it’s as simple as that,” Pulley said.
Among those in the meditation circle was Niels Beverlin, student.
“I feel a little crazy all the time and … it’s really important to just take a break and appreciate what you have and where you’re at because it could be a lot worse,” Beverlin said.
Pulley said she enjoyed the turnout, despite the gloom.
“For a rainy day, I am pleased that we had students take a moment,” Pulley said. “I did my best to let people come and be here; I wanted it to be organic and see who shows up.”
The college hired Pulley to develop the Student Wellness Program in August, which acts less like a club and more of an extension of Health and Wellness.
A massive component of the program lies in its name: the concept of wellness.
Pulley described wellness as a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving one’s full potential.
“We look at it as a multi-dimensional and holistic approach to your lifestyle, your well-being and your environment,” Pulley said. “[It’s about] the development of your beliefs, values and creating a worldwide view of where you’re going and what you want to create with this college experience.”
The program is based upon four cornerstones: fitness centers, wellness programs, personal training and coaching.
Each of these aspects were greatly expanded upon by Pulley, whose mission was to create specific programs for individual student needs. The classes themselves range from mindfulness seminars to cardio workouts and even Yoga. Each class is free and fits around students’ schedules.
“We wanted to give everyone an opportunity to engage in a variety of programs, thinking about health and wellness from a physical components to mental, intellectual, social and spiritual,” Pulley said. “We really wanted to offer different courses for students in whatever shape they want.”
One of the ways Pulley was able to simultaneously spread the word about wellness and involve students was to set up yesterday’s event.
Aside from the mindfulness moment, students put together self-affirmation signs and posted them around the COM Plaza.
Olivia Woods, student, worked with Pulley to help create the 80 blank signs, decorating a few of her own.
“Everybody here is so creative, so I want them to get into it,” Woods said.
Pulley said the affirmations would help students realize how important it is to enjoy life, even in the chaos.
Pulley said, “We’re just really looking to just appreciate the life we have like even if we don’t see the Sun come, we just appreciate that we get another day.”
For information, contact Tina Pulley at tpulley@jccc.edu