Students gathered at Oakland Center meeting rooms 128-130 from 2 to 4 p.m. on April 15 for the Mental Health Study Hall, an end-of-semester event designed to help students manage stress and prepare for finals.
Hosted by the student organization Mental Health Matters (MHM), the event provided a space for students to study, connect with others and take a break during one of the most stressful times of the semester.
Food from Slim Chickens, Panda Express and The Halal Shack was available for everyone, along with desserts and drinks.
Students could pick up small items such as motivational journals, stress-relief toys and stickers arranged on tables, alongside a display that highlighted the organization’s mission and available resources.
The flexible setup allowed students to come and go as needed, making it easier to fit into busy schedules.
Students studied, chatted and ate together while being in a supportive environment.
Sean Sellars, president of MHM, said events like this are especially important during finals due to high stress levels.
“Students, especially this time, are really stressed, and especially this age group of demographic like college students were most susceptible to a lot of mental health issues,” Sellars said. “So having events like this that are free to students that provide advocacy and awareness and a way to actually prepare and fight and combat stress, I think, is something that’s super powerful.”
The organization focuses on promoting mental health awareness and providing resources for students through events and outreach on campus.
Sellars shared what he hoped students would take away from the event.
“The main thing is that there’s support and community here on campus,” Sellars said. “We all go to the same school, a lot of us suffer from the same stuff, so just to let people know that they’re not alone and that there’s people here who care about you.”
Aaron Thielen, vice president of MHM, said the goal is to create a welcoming space for students.
“That’s what I want out of this club, having a community where people can come and have a good time and learn about mental health, but also meet other people who can maybe connect with their struggle and help them out,” Thielen said.
Scarlett Anderson, treasurer of MHM, emphasized the value of having organizations like this on campus and expressed hope that students would leave the event with greater awareness and a stronger understanding of its message.
“I hope they take away that mental health does matter, and that all the students here at Oakland matter, and that basically, these types of clubs should be at universities,” Anderson said.
Gabriela Accioly Ferraz, a member of MHM, said that the club’s mission resonated on a personal level.
“Sean is my personal friend, and he invited me, but also I really support the mission of mental health matters, especially with the mental health crisis we’re facing nowadays, and especially coming from an immigrant family, it’s like a stigma,” Ferraz said. “So I really appreciate what the club stands for.”
As finals approach, events like the Mental Health Matters Study Hall offer students a space to step away from stress, connect with others and feel supported during a demanding time in the semester.