By: Julia Watson
Peer minister Joy Williams and first-year student Liam Leke color together in
in Kennedy-Newman.
Campus Ministry is bringing art and meditation every Monday to Kennedy-Newman, and peer ministers encourage students to listen to music, watch movies, create their own art, contemplate on their day and converse with fellow peers.
Peer ministers Joy Williams and Lian McKernan started the event at the beginning of the fall 2022 semester to bring relaxation techniques to students, especially to first-year students, who need some time away from their busy schedules.
Williams said she and McKernan wanted to create an art event, but added the meditation element to appeal to more students.
“Some people don’t feel that they’re creatively talented, so they may be turned off of the idea of just painting or just coloring,” Williams said. “That’s where I came up with the idea of incorporating meditation into it as well because meditation can look many different ways. That can be yoga, that can be contemplation or that can be praying for some people.”
Students are also given a sheet of questions to meditate on such as, “What matters most to me?” and “How can I make more time to focus on myself?”
Williams said, “It’s a great way to give people options, so if they don’t want to color or they don’t want to paint, they can also just listen to the music and can think about the questions.”
Williams also said one of the most important aspects of the event is the dialogue she is able to have with the students.
“I’m able to sit down with folks and have a genuine conversation with them,” she said. “I’ll just check in on how their classes are going, what’s their major, and things like that. Even if you say, ‘I’m not doing too good,’ that’s okay. I want to know.”
Williams said it can be easy for first-year students to “fall into the routine of eat, sleep and repeat.”
She said it is important for them to take a moment to focus and fully disconnect from work, relax and take a well-needed break.
McKernan said she also hopes the students will use the time to unwind.
“I’m hoping they feel supported and that they know other people might be going through similar stresses,” she said. “They can finally have a time to decompress, have that space to themselves and have a creative outlet.”
First-year student Liam Leke said he enjoyed the event’s environment.
“I was able to just sit around with people and just talk about different things,” he said. “I think having drawing in general is relaxing.”
Art and Meditation will occur every Monday this semester from 7 to 8 p.m. in the lobby of Kennedy-Newman.
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