Kylee Harless
Online Editor
There are many components to health: physical health, mental health, spiritual health and emotional health to name a few.
Spiritual health can be defined as a person’s life’s meaning, or for some people it can correlate into their religious values and how those values play into their life. For some college students, they came to college to find themselves and find out what they are supposed to be in life.
“I think the spiritual component of your life is an important part of your overall health as a college student, because spirituality is a big part of our lives whether we realize it or not. Some people grow up with that and get away from it as a priority in their lives; as a young adult however, lacking that component can create an overall lack of stability in their lives,” said Matt Baumgartner, a Pastor of New Life Church in Laramie.
The university has many programs to help people take care of their spiritual health. If a student is trying to figure out their life meaning, there is the Advising Career Exploratory Studies (ACES) center. At the center, students can meet with advisors to talk about their goals of their future and their careers, as well as different ways they can achieve those goals. They also offer inventories that can help students reveal certain information about themselves that can help them choose a career.
“We recommend that students meet with our counseling staff to talk through the results of those inventories, because those conversations can make the results more meaningful and relevant. The skills we have in counseling are really valuable because…we can provide some non-biased input and validation in that process,” said Christine Renfro, an advisor with ACES.
The university has a lot of groups for students involving their spiritual health. The campus has nine religious recognized student organized groups (RSO’s). These groups include Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, Campus Ventures and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. All groups are open to new members and have meetings on campus and then go to churches off campus for Sunday Worship.
“Having a spiritual connection to God makes working through the stresses of college a lot easier. My faith provides peace and comfort which keeps my mental health in check,” said Jackie McBride, a student at the University. “Bouncing ideas, struggles and victories off of someone that is in the same boat as you allows growth. Getting plugged into a church or religious organization is a great place to start. Wherever you are in your spiritual walk, you can learn from those around you.”
Lastly, the university has the Wellness Center located in Half Acre Gym. The Wellness Center offers a variety of programs, from yoga, meditation and mindfulness workshops. Related to spiritual well being, they offer the Zen Den Relaxation Lounge, as well as Big Sky Mindfulness, a four-week workshop that teaches skills in mindfulness and meditation. The center also offers drop-in mediations, located in the Wellness Center Den and UW Art Museum.
