Health Awareness Comes to Kirkland

Designed to fight off the beginning-of-the-semester blues, a ‘Think Smart, Think Healthy Week’ with panel discussions on stress and success, popsicle study breaks, and a showing of “Finding Nemo” kicked off yesterday in Kirkland House.

“We thought it was a good time for it,” said Julia C. Pederson ‘07, the head Community Health Initiative (CHI) representative at Kirkland.

The Week, which launched yesterday with a discussion on the different definitions of success, was organized by Kirkland’s Wellness tutor, Yi-Ping Ong, and student CHI representatives.

The Wellness tutors were introduced in some houses beginning in the fall of 2004 to coordinate the messages of agencies under University Health Services, such as the Bureau of Study Counsel, the Center for Health and Wellness, and the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Service.

The Week’s events were chosen to foster a sense of community, Pederson said. She said that “Finding Nemo” was selected because “it’s not negative. It has a positive message about growth and ‘following your own path.’”

Up to 100 Kirkland House residents are expected to attend the movie screening, Pederson added.

“I think that the program of events has been extremely enthusiastically received,” said Julia E. B. Morton ’07, chair of the Kirkland House Committee. “I know that there was a very strong turnout for the event tonight.”

Another event organized by the Wellness tutors, a workshop called “Maximize your Potential,” took place at Adams House yesterday night. It was the first in a series of six seminars that will be led by Dunster Wellness tutor Keli Ballinger. The seminars will be open to residents of Adams, Lowell, and Quincy Houses.

“The basic idea is a course to give students life strategies—not just relaxation, not just dealing with stress—just being a more effective person,” said Adams Wellness tutor Sarah E. Henrickson ’01, who was formerly a Crimson photo chair. “It’s a perfect example of the kind of things the Wellness program can do.”

The implementation strategies of the Wellness tutors differ from House to House. While Adams House offers longer-term courses that focus on developing life skills, Kirkland’s program focuses on raising awareness of key issues. Last year, Kirkland held a Healthy Eating Week which featured the movie “Supersize Me.”

Some Kirkland residents, however, seemed unenthusiastic about this year’s planned events.

“I got an few e-mails about it. I kind of glanced over them,” said Vanessa N. Torres ‘08. “I probably won’t go.”

“If I had an issue, I would know where to go or would ask a tutor,” she said.

—Staff writer John R. Macartney may be reached at jmacartn@fas.harvard.edu.