From November 14 to 18, the campus peer support group #Here4U and the UNB SRC will be hosting daily events to promote men’s mental health in celebration of Movember.
The goal of these events is to help eliminate the stigma surrounding men’s mental health on campus, which requires the involvement of both genders, so everyone is encouraged to attend the events and they are not solely directed at men.
On Monday, from 7:00-9:00pm at Howler’s, students are encouraged to come and watch the movie “The Mask You Live In.” The film examines society’s fascination with masculinity and how values placed on it can be severely damaging to boys and young men.
There will also be ice cream available, and if students bring a banana, they can receive a free banana split.
On Tuesday, from 11:00am-1:00pm, there will be a pizza party held in the #Here4U office, located in room 28 of the Ward Chipman Building. Free pizza and bottled water will be provided, and the SRC will be setting up a photo booth with tons of fun props and, of course, fake mustaches. After all, what’s Movember without mustaches?
From 12:30-2:30pm on Wednesday, there will be a Mindful Moment held in front of Tim Hortons.
Students may be familiar with events like these, as they have become a staple of #Here4U over the past two years.
Just a few days ago, on Halloween, they hosted a similar event where students could write how they felt about attending UNB Saint John on a chalkboard, and get candy for their participation.
This time, with the help of SRC reps, the peer support leaders are going to be hosting an epic game of Pin the Mustache on the Man, featuring iconic mustache-possessing characters like Ned Flanders, the Monopoly Man, and Mario & Luigi.
Thursday will bring motivational speaker Nick Periera, who will be giving a talk in the Whitebone Lounge at 3:00pm.
“He plans to tailor his talk towards men’s mental health,” explains #Here4U peer support leader, Jessica McTague.
“He has a talk that he does which involves ‘our story’ – which is the story that we have made up about a situation and that we tell ourselves and believe – versus our reality, which is what is actually happening with our life. He’s really excited about it.”
McTague also assures that this event will be made available to the public, so if students have a friend who would like to tag along but does not attend UNB, they are more than welcome to attend.
Finally, on Friday from 4:00-7:00pm, the SRC and #Here4U will be hosting a coffee house at Howler’s.
Coffee, tea, and various treats will be provided, and students are encouraged to come out and perform.
The organizers are still looking for anyone who would like to sing, play music, or read their poetry. If interested, contact social@unbsrc.ca or jessica.raven@unb.ca so that your name can be added to the list of performers.