*********************************
There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
*********************************
Atlanta, GA | Posted: February 15, 2018
Summary Sentence:
Get to know chemical engineering and Theta Chi fraternity member, Justin Goveas who is part of the next class of student Well-Being Activators on campus!
Full Summary:
Get to know chemical engineering and Theta Chi fraternity member, Justin Goveas who is part of the next class of student Well-Being Activators on campus!
well-being activatorsWhat interested you in becoming a well-being activator?
I’ve always tried to get involved in mental health, and the activators program sounded like a great way to not only get involved with improving campus mental health but all other aspects of health as well.
What does being a well-being activator mean to you?
To me, being a Well-Being Activator means being a resource to the community and to my peers. I’m able to take what I’ve learned in the activators program and incorporate it into the lives of people around me. It’s something I’m thankful for because I’m better able to be there for my friends and the people I care about.
Which dimension of wellness do you feel most connected to and why? (professional, spiritual, social, physical, or emotional)?
Emotional, in my opinion is one of the more overlooked parts of wellness in our culture. Stress management, mental health, emotional fulfillment, these are all necessary parts of a person’s health and wellbeing... A person’s emotional state has a huge impact on the rest of their daily life. I can say from experience that when I am in a bad place emotionally, everything else in my life is affected from my classes to my diet. And that’s why I personally focus on it so much. Reaching out to someone for emotional help can be daunting for someone even though, in many cases, it can be exactly what they need. I try my best to make sure that my community is as open and inviting as possible, so, if someone has an issue, they’re comfortable enough to ask for help instead of ignoring it and letting it affect their lives in a negative way.
How do you think this group of individuals can create change on campus?
Change on campus is a pretty slow process, but I think this group can gradually start to make a difference. We’re trained in health resources and then we take what we’ve learned and bring it into our respective communities. As we grow, more people will get trained and familiar with the resources on campus, and, by extension, more people will be reached. By having a person in every organization, resident hall, friend group, etc. that is focused on the health and well-being of their peers, we can slowly start moving towards a more caring environment here on campus by gradually nudging campus culture in the healthy direction.
What is your favorite way to practice health and well-being on the GT campus?
One of my favorite things to do is to eat with my friends. Whether it’s at my fraternity, the student center, or somewhere else in Atlanta, eating with people is a way for me to relax and connect with others. It’s a time for me to talk about things that might be bothering me, or simply a time for me to hang out with people I care about.
What is one piece of health advice that you would like to bestow on the GT community?
Talk about your problems. It might seem simple, but honestly it’s one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned here at college. We’re constantly coming up against challenges in our lives, and it can be easy to just bottle up all the stress, anxiety, and fear that those challenges bring. I know I am guilty of this myself as well. Sometimes challenges in your life can seem insurmountable, but verbalizing your fears and doubts to another person can put your problems into perspective and make your insurmountable challenges a lot easier to face. Simply opening about what’s bothering you to another person that wants to listen can be the most therapeutic experience imaginable, and it can help keep you sane in such a high-stress environment.
