This September, as first-year students all over Canada were starting university, the mindyourmind team was invited by Western Student Experience to lead mental health and wellbeing workshops during Orientation Serves (OServes), which is the last event in Orientation Week. This event is part of a broader effort to promote community involvement and social responsibility among new students by providing opportunities for them to volunteer and engage with local communities, fostering connections while offering valuable experiences that complement their academic and social integration into university life.
We partnered with Active Minds, a student-led Western club, to create fun and creative wellness activities for students attending this event. For one of these activities, we asked students to draw their own unique “Cope Cake” and fill it with three or more coping techniques as a way to reflect on coping strategies that they can use throughout the school year. This art therapy exercise allowed students to design a personalized piece of artwork to display in their room or on their desks as a reminder to prioritize their mental health.
Check out the amazing and creative “Cope Cakes” they made!
