For those who don’t know, the week of April 15th to April 19th was Wellness Week at NHS. Wellness Week is a time to reflect on mental health struggles and work as a community to help everyone succeed. The organization 1 Life, a division of the Northport Drug and Alcohol Task Force, ran several events including information tables, fun activities, and presentations. One of the most interesting activities was Rock Painting. On Monday, 1Life welcomed all students to the courtyard by the greenhouse to help beautify the space by painting and placing down rocks.
This event was constructed to show the positive effects of outdoor activities on student mental health, an effect I was a bit skeptical of. However, it was beautiful outside and I immediately felt relaxed when I started painting. Everyone was super friendly and even Mr. Dennis himself was sitting on the grass, painting.
Of course, I don’t think that this activity could singlehandedly “solve” any major mental health concerns. But I’d argue that that wasn’t the point. Rather, I was shown the inarguable benefits of creating something for fun and spending time in the natural environment. Studies have shown that time spent outside can mitigate the genetic risk of depression symptoms. Plus, the activity was a fun break from the stressors of everyday life. I think that students should get more involved in these fun, educational events and I’m glad I got to celebrate Wellness Week.
