For the first time, William Paterson University has implemented wellness days for each semester. During this Fall term, two wellness days were added to our semester calendar. Thanks to the help and recommendation from the Student Government Association and the Faculty Senate, William Paterson’s first wellness days were held on October 13 and October 14.
On these wellness days, the university was open but no classes were held. These wellness days are great for students to take a mental break and even catch up on school work. Each semester can carry a lot of stress for students, so a 2 day break can make a huge difference. Most students also work during semesters on top of being a part of many clubs and organizations, so everything can easily become overwhelming.
William Paterson’s wellness days were actually implemented 3 days after Mental Health Day which is on October 10 of every year. Mental Illness Awareness Week was also from October 2-8.
It is so important for more universities to recognize their students’ mental health and implement wellness days like William Paterson. Not only are wellness days beneficial towards students and their self care but it can also be a huge mental break for professors, faculty and staff.