by Émélie Beaudry
Has this ever happened to you? You’re stressed, hungry, and broke, but have too many assignments to work on before you go home. I’ve been there too! Fret not, however, for one of the fantastic resources available to you is the Student Wellness Centre (SWC)! The SWC is located in the Student Living Room, at 230 Richmond St W, on the 8th floor.
The first time I entered the Student Living Room, I was amazed. It’s well-furnished, with comfortable couches, plenty of study spaces, and a kitchen with lots of snacks available. The Student Living Room is open Monday through Friday from 10am to 7pm, and is run by students, for students. This space is open to everybody, and on top of their regular programming, they welcome student groups to contact them and use the space for their events. Beyond free snacks, sanitary products, and craft supplies, the Student Living Room has Peer Health Promoters running SWC programming and helping around the Student Living Room. These students strive to make the living room a space where everyone can work or relax. The Peer Health Promoters are happy to lend an ear when needed, and can give advice or direct you to relevant resources offered by the SWC. They are lovely people to chat with all around!
Some of you may have seen the Student Living Room’s social media posts about their Weekly Drop-Ins. Six different programs are hosted on the same day and time each week, each by one or more of their Peer Health Promoters. I recently attended Friday’s self-love workshop with Zaza and Alessio. When I showed up, they were both friendly and welcoming, and helped set me up with beads and other supplies to make a phone charm. A couple other people were there and we all sat together, chatted, and crafted. What had started as a busy hustle of a day turned into a relaxing afternoon, and by the end, I not only had a nifty new charm, but also an afternoon filled with laughter, and a couple of new friends.
If you’re not sold yet, their yellow suggestion box is always open. You can also attend the Pizza & Co-Design drop-in on Wednesdays to bring forward any ideas you have, and get a free lunch!
You can learn more about the SWC and the Student Living Room at linktr.ee/ocaduwellness, by checking them out on Instagram @ocadustudentwellness, or by dropping in and asking them yourself! I highly recommend it.