The Third Year Council partnered with organizations around Grounds this week to host the second annual Fight the Stigma Week, which is aimed at raising awareness and providing resources for improving mental health.
College student Eric Dotterer, co-chair of the Third Year Council Mental Health and Safety Committee, said the week is an opportunity for students to destress.
“We have a week full of events where we can bring different University resources in and expose students to all the positive aspects that U.Va. provides and look for ways to destress away from such a hectic academic climate, and promote their own positive well-being,” Dotterer said.
The week’s events included distribution of merchandise, pledge initiatives, meditation time and talks offered by representatives from Counseling and Psychological Services and the Maxine Platzer Lynn Women’s Center.
“We have talks, we have yoga, we have different kinds of interactive events to get them really thinking about this issue and to not really shy away from it,” Dotterer said. “It’s something that's really important in all of our lives, to have your own mental well-being to be a priority.”
Dotterer said TYC partnered with around a dozen other groups at the University to host this week’s events.
The Madison House Helpline, One in Four, the Women’s Center, Second Year Council, the Contemplative Sciences Center, CAPS, Yoga Club at U.Va., Sustained Dialogue, Peer Health Educators and National Alliance on Mental Illness participated in Fight the Stigma Week as resources for students.
“We want to be able to show what resources the University has to offer and we want to have people distress, kick back and take a step back from their academic lives and focus on their own well-being,” Dotterer said.
This is the second year the council for the class of 2017 has hosted this event, with last year being the inaugural year.
“Last year our Second Year Council, the outreach committee, which I was on, decided it was important to have a week where students could … look for ways to promote mental wellness, not just within themselves but the University as a whole,” Dotterrer said.
Dotterer said this year’s Fight the Stigma Week has similar features of last year’s event, but with expanded events and partnerships.
“This week could not have been done without other organizations and other members of Third Year Council,” Dotterer said. “This is a University collaborative event and this is something we want everyone to take part in.”
Dotterer said he believes Fight the Stigma Week makes an impact on Grounds.
“The goal is to fight the stigma and that stigma is any stigma against being mentally [unwell],” Dotterer said. “It’s okay to embrace who you are as a person, your weaknesses, your strengths — we really want this week to showcase that and get people talking about an issue that they normally shy away from.”
Although Fight the Stigma Week has been planned and hosted by class of 2017’s council, Dotterer said he would like to see it become a regular event held every year, even after the class of 2017 graduates.
“We hope to continue this event next year and make it sort of a legacy for the class of 2017 before we pass it on,” Dotterer said. “This is something that affects everyone in life — we really want to work with everyone.”
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