University of Northampton holds first mental health day in person since Covid-19 pandemic

The University of Northampton has hosted its first face-to-face mental health day in more than two years, which proponents see as a first step in opening students up to mental health discussions.

The yearly event, which was put on hold during the Covid-19 pandemic, featured a range of activities and stalls designed to boost students' mental health, as well as raise awareness about lesser-known, but no less important challenges that are faced by certain students.

Events included an animal petting farm, a "mindfulness mosaic activity", as well as talks on topics like "food and mood" and "feelings and emotions".

These were followed later on by activities like dance, netball, climbing and lacrosse during the mental health day on Thursday (March 3).

Kirstie, who is a masters student who also works as a disabled students' officer, ran an extra-sensory stand intended for neurodivergent students that might struggle with sensory overload in student life.

Kirstie said: "With Covid-19 and everything, I think this year is the first time we've been able to get together face-to-face for over two years. It's a great opportunity to get students together to talk about mental health and that it's okay to talk about these things.

"My stall provided extra-sensory toys like water beads and slime and so on. People were like 'oh, those are for kids' but I encouraged them to give it a go.

"It helps them with regulation, with grounding. The majority of neurodivergent students really struggle with mental health at university because of the overwhelming sensory environment. So it was great to draw people together to talk about that sort of thing and that we're all in the same boat.

"I'm an autistic person myself and for me to stand there and say that I am autistic surprises a lot of people. They ask 'how can you work for the students' union and be autistic?' and I can say that, if you just ask, you can be accommodated."

While mental health has been a hot topic in recent years, especially on university campuses, there are concerns that the student body still has many areas where people feel uncomfortable discussing their own challenges.

Whether it be fears of judgement or a desire to leave things be, advocates fear that some people who might benefit from help are choosing not to use it.

Kirstie added: "We got a lot of students saying 'well mine isn't that bad' or 'things have always been this way' or 'I've learned to hide it well enough'. I think people are afraid to use terms like anxiety and depression without a doctor's diagnosis.

"Especially, still, in somewhat stereotypical places like football teams, they are less likely to come and talk about mental health because they don't see it as the right way to act.

"I think none of us actually have it together as much as we portray. Somebody will look at me or someone else and think 'wow, you've really got yourself together'. But they don't see when you're crying alone at night or struggling to get out of bed in the morning.

"People need to know that they aren't alone when perhaps they think they are."