Keeping up with classes and social life are important parts of attending college, but something many students tend to neglect while being in college is their physical and mental health.
Whether it’s becoming more sedentary or developing a not so healthy diet due to convenience, health is usually the last aspect of college life that students think about.
Nia Murdock, president of Black Health Awakening, had noticed many Black students neglecting their mental and physical health.
“A lot of the black students here, we put a lot of our time into our studies, and a lot of us mentally would stray towards the end of the semester, and so a lot of us really did not spend lots of time in the gym, or going on walks, or doing anything mentally good for ourselves,” Murdock said.
While there are a few groups on campus that focus on health, clubs with a presence of Black students are hard to come by. Wanting to feel that you’re in a club that accepts you and represents people like you gives encouragement to keep up with building a healthier lifestyle.
Murdock said that there are Black students that work while attending college full-time to cover cost, which can become taxing on our mental and physical health.
“I think a lot of black students here are either paying for their own tuitions helping their parents paying for their own tuition, so they’re not allowed to just simply live a college life of just school like a lot of their peers are, unfortunately,” Murdock said. “I do think that it’s taking a toll on them mentally, having to not only get a job and help their parents pay their own tuition, but also have to be involved in clubs make sure they’re eating healthy or staying on top of their schoolwork as well.”
This can add a tremendous amount of stress to someone while also having to find time to balance their studies. It’s not easy shouldering two large responsibilities and maintaining one’s GPA.
Sometimes when you must work on assignments and study, then you must get yourself together to go to work, keeping up with your diet and exercise thrown out the window. Even if you don’t work, having 12 plus credit hours, studying several exams and working on assignments at the same time will make cooking a healthy meal and exercise seem fruitless.
Murdock is looking to help Black students improve their overall well-being with Black Health Awakening to give them the materials to become healthier. Murdock has had her own past struggles with keeping up her health while attending college. She felt that she neglected her health and self-care while putting her focus on her studies and felt a need for a change.
She started Black Health Awakening to encourage fellow Black students to make sure they realized the importance of putting their health first. Black Health Awakening had a general body meeting on Oct. 16.
An activity students participated in during the general body meeting was a pop quiz with prizes. The quiz consisted of guessing which chain restaurant is actually healthier than the other. Surprisingly, McDonalds is healthier than Burger King.
Black Heath awakening also uses events to get students moving! Trap Yoga, which took place on Oct. 23 consisted of beginner friendly yoga and a Spotify playlist open to submissions. Events like this can encourage prospective members to become more active and connect with like-minded students.
Murdock emphasized the importance of taking the time to take care of yourself while you are an undergraduate to avoid burning out. She hopes that Black Health Awakening can give Black students skills to take with them after their walk across the stage.
Building a healthier mindset and routine can help you outside of college. A healthy lifestyle will be important after graduation due to the stress of a full-time job.
Murdock hopes that students in Black Health Awakening will take what they learn from the activities and meetups beyond graduation, and that the club will last long after the current members graduate.
“I definitely hope we have a long, lasting impact after I graduate here after we all graduate from here, I definitely hope that if I were to come back, I would see that we are still implementing those healthy alternatives in life and in college as well, Murdock said. “I hope that you can learn from Black Health awakening how to be healthy starting in college and then take that learning into your new life when you graduate from here.”
If you are interested in building a healthier lifestyle and routine, please check out the Black Heath Awakening’s Instagram page @the.blackha .
