Tackle Stress, Travel Lightly, Clothesline Project, a bike parade and more!
Stress getting to you? Please call us.
With graduation, wrapping up projects and preparing for finals, this is an incredibly stressful time of year. The Counseling & Human Development Center is here to help you deal with stress. Don’t hesitate to call (803) 777-5223 or stop by the Byrnes building 7th floor to learn how the counselors can help you in this critical time in your academic career. It’s why we’re here! www.sa.sc.edu/shs/chdc.
Clothesline Project: April 16
T-shirts designed by students for The Clothesline Project, a national campaign that addresses violence against women and sexual assault, will be displayed on Greene Street in front of the Russell House April 16. Please come out and see this moving expression of pain, healing and love. Visit Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention & Prevention at http://www.sa.sc.edu/shs/savip to get involved in its Sexual Assault Awareness Month activities.
Travel Lightly Day: April 17
Reduce your carbon footprint on USC’s first ever Travel Lightly Day, which encourages carpooling, public transportation, cycling, rollerblading, skateboarding, scooting and good ol’ fashioned walking. “Light Travelers” are invited to stop by the Travel Lightly tables around campus to pick up complimentary refreshments and giveaways from local retailers Outspokin’, the Cycle Center and Salty’s Board Shop. Local vendors are supplying helmets, water bottles, bike lights, bike locks, and holding a drawing for a new bike. More info at http://www.sc.edu/healthycarolina/travelight.html.
Bike Parade: April 17
Join Dr. Harris Pastides, USC President, at the first bike-friendly University parade leaving the Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center at 11:30 a.m. and end at noon on Greene Street. Raffles prizes for participating in Travel Lightly Day will be awarded at 12:20 p.m. on Greene Street. Cyclists from all over campus are invited to join the ride and celebrate USC winning the League of American Bicyclists’ Bike Friendly University Bronze Level Award!
Wear Denim: April 25
Nation Denim Day is observed April 25 because in 1999, an 18 year-old girl was forcefully raped by her driving instructor. The assailant was arrested, convicted and sentenced to jail. He appealed the sentence, and the case made its way to the Italian Supreme Court. The Supreme Court released the perpetrator and dismissed all charges. The reasoning behind this was “because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them, and by removing the jeans it was no longer rape but consensual sex.” The women in the Italian Parliament wore jeans in protest, and the California Senate and Assembly did the same. Thus, Denim Day was born. Supported by Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention & Prevention in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Last Spring Healthy Carolina Farmers Market: April 17
Stop by the final Healthy Carolina Farmers Market of the spring season. The market takes place Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Greene Street in front of the Russell House. Locally-grown produce, plants, fresh seafood, boiled peanuts, kettle corn, freshly baked bread, and other goods including natural soaps and lotions will be plentiful! All vendors take cash, but only some take checks or credit cards. The Healthy Carolina Farmers Market is a collaboration of Healthy Carolina, Parking Services and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. Details are available at www.sc.edu/healthycarolina/farmersmarket.html or marti448@mailbox.sc.edu.
Suicide Prevention Training
More people contemplate suicide than we’d like to imagine. In fact, you are more likely to interact with a student in emotional distress or experiencing a suicidal crisis than a student in cardiac arrest or choking. Suicide is the most preventable form of death, yet suicide is a leading cause of death in the college student population. Eight out of 10 people considering suicide give some sign of their intentions. This is your opportunity to learn to intervene. When you train with Jennifer Myers, USC’s Suicide Prevention Coordinator, you’ll:
- Enhance your awareness, knowledge, and skills concerning college student suicide
- Learn the signs to identify students at risk and how to connect a student with the appropriate service
- Improve your skills and gain confidence in your ability to intervene
- Stay informed about mental health resources on campus
Training takes place on the following date:
April 25: 11 am to 1 pm Russell House room 305
Jennifer can also come to your organization or office and conduct training at a time convenient for you.
Visit www.sa.sc.edu/shs/chdc/prevention/ to register for the above session or to schedule your own.
Get Yourself Tested! STI/STD testing on campus without doctor’s referral
South Carolina ranks third in the nation for gonorrhea and Chlamydia and 8th for HIV. Shocked? Get yourself tested for sexually transmitted infections and diseases NOW at the Student Health Services Laboratory at the Thomson Student Health Center. Our lab offers (for a fee) testing for STIs and STDs with NO referral or doctors’ visit required. To schedule an appointment, go to MyHealthSpace (our secure, private web portal) at www.sc.edu/myhealthspace.
Affordable Massage On Campus
Whether you suffer from chronic pain or would just like to “de-stress” and unwind, massage therapy can help. Campus Wellness offers seated chair massages that require no undressing and use no oils. Appointments are available Monday through Thursday at the Thomson Student Health Center. Cost for students is $20 for 25 minutes and $22 for faculty and staff. No-shows are charged $15. Call (803) 777-3175. Learn about how you can conquer stress with Campus Wellness resources at www.sa.sc.edu/shs/cw/students/stressmanagement.
(Submitted by Nicole Carrico)
