Starting the day off on the right foot can be challenging for students juggling classes, assignments and personal responsibilities. This is where Great Start, a morning wellness initiative run by the Keene State College Wellness Center, comes in. Held Monday through Friday from 8 to 9 a.m. in the West Dining Room of the student center, the event provides a quiet space for students to organize their day, de-stress and build healthy habits.
Beth Aronson, associate director of counseling and training at the wellness center, said she spearheaded Great Start as a way to help students manage their schedules and reduce stress.
“The idea is to have a space where people can come and sit and organize their day or do some journaling,” Aronson said. “Or even work on some stress-reducing thinking for the beginning of their day.”
Students can bring their own materials or use the provided resources, which include journaling supplies, calendars and organizational tools. There are also cognitive behavioral worksheets, coloring pages and tracing activities designed to support students with ADHD or those who need an additional focus aid.
Aronson said she was inspired to create Great Start after seeing how students struggle with stress toward the end of the semester. She noted when students plan and organize their time earlier, they can better manage their workload.
“If they did this from the beginning, there wouldn’t be all that stress at the end,” she said. “So, hopefully, people will see this and think about it, maybe do it a little earlier.”
Aronson said the goal of Great Start is to help students develop habits that will support them throughout their academic careers and beyond. By taking time to plan out their day, students can avoid overloading themselves and ultimately reduce anxiety.
While Great Start is run by the wellness center, other departments have helped spread the word. The office of student involvement has promoted the event on electronic boards and the office of academic affairs has sent information to faculty encouraging student participation.
Students who have attended the event have responded positively. Aronson recalled one student’s reaction: “Somebody, the other day, was like, ‘Oh my God, this is so cool.’”
Despite its benefits, Aronson acknowledged that the early morning time slot can be a hurdle for some students.
“I wish we could just run it all day because I know not everybody is awake at 8 a.m., but sadly that’s the only time I can come and do it,” she said.
To make Great Start more accessible, a work-study student occasionally runs a 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. session on Mondays and Fridays. Aronson said she also hopes to expand the program to include a lunchtime option in the future.
Students don’t need to bring anything to participate; Aronson said she has everything they might need, from planners to hole punches. Those who don’t have time to stay can also take supplies to use later.
“I make more when we need more, so you don’t have to have anything to come, you just need to come,” she said.
Aisling Kavanagh can be contacted at
akavanagh@kscequinox.com
