In previous years, if you wanted a place to calm down at school, you sat upstairs waiting for a counselor to become open. This year, our school has created a different way to calm down and relax:  the Wellness Center. So instead of crying on toilets, you can cry on a couch.

In all seriousness, The Wellness Center, in my opinion, is one of the best things to be implemented in our schools, and not just because of the cool chairs. Students can go to the wellness center to talk to counselors and even students, if their overwhelmed, having a bad day or just need a cool down.

There has been multiple times where I’ve been sitting in the Wellness office and a student has asked me if I’m okay or need anything. This new support system truly brings people together and provides a place where anyone can be accepted and cared for.

Having a support system like this is crucial to our learning environment. I asked ten students who have never even been to the Wellness Center and nine out of ten of them agreed that it makes them feel more comfortable at school just knowing it’s there Sophomore, Ella Younger says,

Another amazing thing about the Wellness Center is their communicational support, meaning you don’t have to talk, if you don’t want to. When first arriving at Wellness, after signing in, the counselor on duty will most likely ask you if you’re here to talk to someone specific or if you just need time to calm down and gather your mind. Thats where its different than a counselor’s office; students don’t have to go to see a specific person but can go to gather their own thoughts.

That’s why I absolutely love this. I’m not a big talker when it comes to being upset, in fact it’s the very last thing I want to do. Having a place where I can sit quietly at times can do a lot more for me than a counseling session.

The Wellness Center does not have a lot of negatives, in my opinion, but after asking around, it seems that some people think it’s just an easier way to ditch class. Although that may be true for some students, going to Wellness everyday to miss a specific class is not that hard to notice, especially because the Wellness office could only fit about two school busses. I’ve been to wellness many times and i’ve never seen anyone abuse the privileges that come along with it.

The Wellness Center is a new crucial part of our school system and has so many positive impacts. Without this part of our school students mental health would drop and anxiety rates would go up. If you ever find yourself wanting to go to Wellness it’s downstairs in the old deans office. The staff doesn’t bite, and I promise they will be happy to see you.