Returning to school after summer break is an exciting time but can also be stressful. It can be hard to adjust to going back to class, finding time to do schoolwork while also having a job, and making time to do things you enjoy outside of the classroom. The Pruitt Center for Mindfulness and Well-Being has a weekly event this semester to try to help people who need a little break.
Mindful Mondays, these weekly events, are usually led by Randy Barker or Lori Tuominen. Barker, the Counseling Services Director for the Pruitt Center, said that Mindful Monday starts with a ten-to-fifteen-minute mindfulness exercise. After the exercise has finished, the participants are invited to share thoughts; “what they liked, maybe what they didn’t like about the exercise,” said Barker. The weekly event is open to students, staff, faculty, and the public.
Mindfulness Monday meetings happen weekly at noon in Swenson Hall 3117.
Photo: Evan Ludwig | The Promethean
Lori Tuominen, the program manager at the Pruitt Center, said that there are many other ways to get involved in mindfulness practices. There is a Mindfulness Club on campus, several courses that explore various related topics, and even a retreat.
“Unplug to Reconnect” is the mindfulness retreat occurring on September 28th and 29th. The goal is to help participants take a break from their phones and be present for the retreat.
Various activities including a mindful walk, group games, and a night hike are things the previous retreats have done. Tuominen said that last year, due to rain, the retreat moved indoors to the lodge where they made s’mores and a student played piano for the group.
If interested in Mindful Mondays, they are held at the Pruitt Center (Swenson 3117) or via Zoom at 12 p.m.
For more information on any other events or courses run by the Pruitt Center, visit their page on the University of Wisconsin-Superior website, or email mindfulness@uwsuper.edu.
