On Thursday, Jan. 16, Residence Life, a unit within Student Affairs, will be hosting its first Wellness Night Market in Ban Righ Hall. The drop-in event, which will be held between 5-9 pm, welcomes all Queen’s students living in residence to come and engage in a variety of activities focused on five areas of self-care: social, physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.

Throughout the evening, students will travel to over 15 different booths run by 13 partner experts from across campus. These partners include Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre, Health Promotions, Student Academic Success Services, Athletics & Recreation, Housing & Ancillary Services dietician, Queen’s University International Centre, and Faith & Spiritual Life.

In addition, the Queen’s chapter of Jack.org, the Queen’s Collage Club, and a student staff member from the Agnes Etherington Art Centre will be joining to run numerous games and creative projects.

Among the many interactive offerings, students will have the opportunity to pot their own succulent, make their own cedar scrub, and participate in a Q & A with a personal trainer.

At each station, students will have their market passports stamped, which can be turned in for prizes at the end of the evening. Prizes include a pair of Air Pod Pros, a spike ball set, and an introduction to personal training which was donated by Queen’s Athletics & Recreation.

The Wellness Market aims to teach students in residence about the importance of self-care, especially during the often-difficult transition into the winter semester.

“Housing & Ancillary Services is excited to offer this new initiative contributing to the university’s broader efforts within the Campus Wellness Project,” says Leah Wales, Executive Director of Housing and Ancillary Services. “The Wellness Night Market is an opportunity to educate students about the five areas of self-care and we are particularly pleased to have the enthusiastic support of numerous campus partners to help deliver this new program.”

The Wellness Night Market was informed by a Residence Life survey that was distributed among students last fall. The survey looked at what students struggled with in their first semester, as well as what prizes they would be interested in, to ensure the event is tailored to the needs of all participants.