UCA Campus Recreation & Wellness organized a “Lattes, Love, & Wellness” event at TREC Medium Studio Feb. 10 from 1:40 to 2:50 p.m.
“I think it’s [the event] really cute. I like the little bears. I think they have so many different things to do so they did a good job,” graduate student Kailee Massey said.
With a Valentine’s Day theme, the event created a creative area where students can do crafting, hang out with friends and learn several simple self-care tips to use in daily life.
In addition, attendees could enjoy a cup of coffee at the coffee bar and have some gifts after spending time resting.
Medi Tyler, a TREC student employee and host of the event, shared that healthy boundaries are not only good for mental feelings, but also physical health.
Tyler said that the reason for holding this event was to bring good vibes, meaningful conversations and a relaxed atmosphere.
“We’re happy to see students coming to this event because we created for students to make them feel, you know, welcome when we support their wellness,” Tyler said. “So since people enjoy it, it feels prohealthy.”
The event offered free coffee, sweet treats, plushies, pins and take-aways gifts for attendee’s loved ones.
“So far I really enjoy it. I just got here not too long ago but it’s super cute. I really enjoy it and I think it’s really nice,” graduate student Diane Deluca said. “It’s really helpful and my stress relieving.”
At the event, students were able to grab a blank thick paper to paint with different water colors, or make their own bracelets by using several sets of plastic beads with a variety of charms’ designs.
Students could also take one of the group-play game sets like uno cards, chess and monopoly or write a letter with sweet notes by the prepared template for their loved ones.
“I’m literally gonna write this [a letter] for him [her boyfriend]. I was planning to do a number paper so, hey, that’s why I’m here,” Massey said.
Deluca and Massey said they attended this event because their occupational therapy course requires them to go to campus events such as this one.
“I have to go to community events for class. My friend works at the HPER and told me about this event,” Deluca said.
Tyler said she felt the event was successful since a lot of students came in and enjoyed it.
She also said there is a team brainstorming for the idea behind the event creating process.
“There is a group of us. There are two student workers, Vergie our boss and an intern over here, Sordra. We started it a couple weeks ago planning it [the event].”
Vergie Jackson is an assistant director of student wellness at the TREC center.
“This is a new one. It feels great,” Tyler said. “We just use our budget that we have through Campus Recreation and Wellness.”
“We got a lot of them in a certain amount. We use some stuff that we had in storage, left over at the other works for the budget,” Tyler said.
Massey said she didn’t go to many events, her last time going to this creative-crafted event was, “a long time ago.”
“I think freshman year I think they did like a ‘Build-a-Bear’ thing that I went to one time. I have been to one another once in freshman year, it was a long time ago,” Massey said.
Deluca said if she has time, she will go to this kind of event again, even though it’s not a requirement for her class.
