March 2023 Inside Higher ED
Student Success | ICYMI
Creating Student Mental Health Kits
Helping students destress can be a gift, literally. Administrators and experts shared three approaches to giving students a mental health kit.
Distribute a physical gift: The contents might include a coloring book, a sleep mask, earplugs, tea, a stress ball, Play-Doh, a hand-written note, a list of mental health resources, essential oils, fidget spinners, journals, pens or stuffed animals. Items should be designed to help students self-soothe, slow down and practice mindfulness.
Put it online: Institutions can also create virtual kits, with links to resources such as yoga exercises, campus resources, printable coloring books and more.
Make it a subscription: The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s campus chapter of Active Minds created a subscription service for wellness kits in 2021, with students paying between $15 to $30 for a monthly themed kit.