Students at the University of Windsor are using origami to highlight Mental Illness Awareness Week

 

BY Shelbey Hernandez

Students at the University of Windsor are using origami to highlight Mental Illness Awareness Week

The University of Windsor Mental Health Awareness group organized an origami booth in the CAW Student Centre on Oct. 10.

Jordynne Ropat, president of the UWMHA, was in charge of the event. She said the origami booth was to help University of Windsor students cope with stress as they spend the next few weeks studying for their midterms.

At the booth, Ropat and other group members were giving away free bubble wrap and free origami paper to students who needed something to help with their stress. The students would sit at the two tables and make origami with the group, giving them the chance to get to know each other and talk about the stress they are dealing with.

UWMHA member Marissa Younan came up with the idea to use origami last year for Self-Injury Awareness Week.

“During one of our meetings we were talking about crafts and I was thinking that maybe the best sort of craft would be one that gives you a cool skill and one that makes you see what you can really do,” said Younan. “Origami provides productive ways to cope with any sort of issues such as stress from midterms.”

Ropat said origami is particularly helpful for those with self-injury issues.

“We had looked up some stuff on the internet and saw that people who self-injure sometimes find it helpful to do things with their hands like destroying stuff or building things or creating a craft. So that’s why we did those,” said Ropat. “By the end of that event, we had tons of origami paper left over. So, we decided to bring it out again for mental illness awareness week just for a fun stress-relieving activity.”

Ropat said although creating origami can help with minor mental health issues, it is important to recognize when a mental health issue is much larger and requires extra help.

“This is more of a fun event for students to release a little bit of stress,” she said. “But once it gets to the point where it’s a serious illness such as depression, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder you need to seek professional help. That’s why on the bubble wrap squares, we put information about where students could seek help.”

Ropat said that the booth was meant to promote mental health awareness.

“I think mental health is hugely important not only for students, but for everybody. I think that disorders like cancer, diabetes and heart disease are really well-advertised, fundraised and talked about constantly. But, I think mental health is a little bit neglected. Your brain is super important like every other part of your body and a lot of people don’t understand,” said Ropat. “So people need to start understanding that it is a medical disorder like anything else and it is very important to take care of. We only have one brain and it affects everything we do, how we think and how we live.”

Ropat also said students need to be aware of their mental health since the stress from midterms, graduation schools, job applications and everything else can actually wear students down and cause them to develop mental illnesses.

Lanette Perry, one of the marketing executives in the group, said she was inspired to join because of the people in her life who suffer from a mental illness.

“I’ve been a member since it started up. One of my aunts has schizophrenia and I know a lot of people that have dealt with mental health issues,” said Perry. “I’ve come to realize even more how many people have to deal with mental health related issues. So, for something so common in our society, especially in a stressful environment like university, it’s really important for people to be aware of it and for there not to be any stigmas attached to it.”

Myla Picco, treasurer of the UWMHA said the origami is a really good way to take students’ minds off the general craziness of midterm season.

“It allows students to take a break between classes or meetings by sitting down and interacting with other students while doing something that’s relaxing,” said Picco. “It allows you to release stress during this hectic time.”

Approximately 50 people stopped by the booth.