The Trinity Progressives recognized Mental Health Week by setting up a table  in Coates all week and organizing many more activities around campus.

Mental Health Week is designed to help people become more educated on mental health issues so they can better understand the symptoms and conditions of mental illnesses. It also helps make people aware of how prevalent mental health issues are and informs them of the best way to handle these issues.

First year Christiana Zgourides is not a part of Trinity Progressives, but she has been integral to the running of Mental Health Week. She joined and helped organize events and spread the word. She described why she got involved with this event and why it is important.

“I really feel like the week is very important, and I love the issues that are tackled here. It’s just something I have a passion for, and when I found out about it I wanted to be involved. I asked if it would be okay, and they were very receptive,” Zgourides said. “People need to be more educated on mental health. It is something so prevalent, and in general people know very little about it. I hope this week teaches people just a little bit more than they knew before.”

Junior Rachel Pauerstein, a member of Trinity Progressives, also helped organize the week. She discussed why knowledge of mental health issues matters.

“If someone doesn’t know anything about a mental health issue and encounters someone who has that issue, then they don’t know why that person acts like they do or what actions or words they would best respond to. Really, they could become clueless as to how to handle that situation,” Pauerstein said.

The Trinity Progressives are very passionate about this topic and believe this event not only impacts others, but impacts members of the organization as well. “Whenever we do this week I always learn new things about mental health,” said junior Avantika Krishna. “It’s so cool because if and when I encounter these issues I now am much better equipped to handle the situation.”

The week included a showing of “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” on Monday in the Fiesta Room and pony petting on the Coates Esplanade. It continued Wednesday with Super Nacho Hour sponsored by Counseling Services and concluded with “Fiesta on the Esplanade” yesterday, which included massages, popcorn and popsicles. The week will have a follow-up event next Tuesday on the Murchison Lawn at 8 p.m. where students can tie-dye their shirts and debrief about the weeks events.