Meri-Leigh Smith, associate director of wellness and health promotion and Jack Powell, student services coordinator, set up Nighthawks Together wellness bags for students on the Cumming Campus. The bags will be available on all five UNG campuses.
Article By: Denise Ray
As they return from spring break, University of North Georgia (UNG) students will receive "Nighthawks Together" wellness bags to help them finish the semester strong.
"The purpose of the bags is just to remind students to take care of their well-being and to give them a few resources so they can make better decisions about staying home sick or whether they should continue with engagement," Meri-Leigh Smith, associate director of wellness and health promotion, said.
Residential students received bags from their respective resident assistants while commuters can receive bags at the Student Counseling, Student Health Services, Campus Recreation and Wellness offices, and other various locations around campus. The Blue Ridge, Cumming and Oconee campuses have the bags at the general reception area students walk by daily.
Smith said more than 4,000 bags have been created for distribution on UNG's five campuses. They include information cards listing COVID-19 symptoms, reusable pocket-sized card thermometers distinguishing symptoms of cold versus flu, hand sanitizer, tissue packs, soap sheets, and a mask. Half of the bags will be distributed this spring and the other half will be available in the fall.
The longer we're in this pandemic, the more we all kind of get used to it and become numb to some of the safety precautions we should be taking.
Meri-Leigh Smith
associate director of wellness and health promotion
This is just one of several wellness campaigns going on, each focusing on the eight dimensions of wellness Campus Recreation and Wellness aims to highlight: emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual. The "Have a Safe Spring Break" week included elements such as alcohol and drug education, traveling safe, sexual safety, and sunscreen.
"All of the items were a way to say 'please take care of yourself and come back safe to us,'" Smith said.
"This was just kind of that little reminder to continue to make good choices."
The wellness bags served as a reminder of how students can make informed decisions about their health.
"The longer we're in this pandemic, the more we all kind of get used to it and become numb to some of the safety precautions we should be taking," Smith said.
The bags will also be distributed at the March 23 wellness fair on UNG's Dahlonega Campus, set for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Recreation Center Gymnasium. Biometric screenings for faculty and staff are available.
"Our goal is to cater to the needs of our UNG community whether it be faculty, staff, or students," Sabrina Wall, human resources benefits specialist, said. "Local vendors along with many USG benefit vendors will be active participants. We greatly appreciate each one taking the time out of their own schedule to participate."
