Students practice self-care

Students gather for yoga at Sips and Self-Care. Emma Wasden photo

Troy University Panhellenic women took time to slow down, connect with others and focus on their well-being during a Sips and Self-Care event designed to give students a break from the stress of college life.

The event gave students an opportunity to participate in yoga, practice breathing exercises and spend time with other women while also supporting a community service project.

Dr. Korrie Lynn Williamson, who works with students and oversees Panhellenic sororities, wanted the event to give students a chance to take a break during a busy part of the semester.

“Sometimes we just need a quick 30-minute reset,” Williamson said.

The event was planned during September, which is Suicide Awareness Month. Williamson said the goal was to encourage students to pay attention to their mental health while balancing academics, social lives and other responsibilities.

The event also came from a partnership with Coca-Cola. Panhellenic received 200 cases of a female-focused energy drink from the company in August. The drinks were originally intended for sorority recruitment but arrived later than expected. Williamson then contacted Coca-Cola about using the drinks for monthly events.

For Williamson, self-care does not look the same for everyone.

“Every person, self-care is a little bit different,” Williamson said.

Self-care could include walking around campus at sunset, eating a healthy meal, talking on the phone or spending time on social media. For others, it may mean attending a yoga class or spending time with friends.

Kamden Eady, a senior risk management and insurance major from Daphne, Alabama, believes students should make time for themselves, even when school becomes stressful.

A member of Alpha Gamma Delta, Eady recently went on a walk while listening to music that put her in a good mood. Small activities like that can help students focus on themselves and what they need.

“It’s just about how you are as a person and what you need that fits your needs the best,” Eady said.

Eady also serves as Panhellenic’s director of sisterhood and education. Through her position, she works to create opportunities for students to connect with women outside their own sororities.

She pointed to previous Greek unity events as an example of how students can build relationships across chapters.

“We're all family, and that's one thing I loved about Troy Greek life,” Eady said.

Grayson Murphy, a junior nursing major from Prattville, Alabama, attended the event as a member of Kappa Delta. For her, the event offered a chance to connect with other women while taking a break from the demands of the semester.

“I think we're in this really chaotic part of the semester where we're all kind of stressed and stretched thin,” Murphy said.

The event also included a community service project focused on postpartum care. Students collected items to create postpartum care baskets for new mothers at Baptist Medical Center East.

Murphy connected the project to The Village, a community service initiative focused on women’s health. The baskets give students a way to support women entering a new chapter of their lives.

Williamson also views giving back as a form of self-care.

“Self-care sometimes means pouring into others,” Williamson said.

The service project allowed students to support women in the community while also creating connections with other Panhellenic members. Williamson hopes those connections continue beyond the event through activities such as walking around campus or attending future events.

As students participated in yoga and focused on their breathing, Williamson encouraged them to put their phones away and be present.

She shared a phrase she uses with her husband when life becomes stressful: “Just be where your feet are.”

The message encourages students to focus on the moment instead of becoming overwhelmed by everything happening around them.

Williamson also encouraged students who may be struggling to reach out for support. Troy has resources available for students who need someone to talk to, and Williamson said she is willing to help students find the right resource.

“I think that's the hardest thing students and just people in general face,” Williamson said. “They feel like they're the only one, and they're not.”

The Sips and Self-Care event brought together yoga, sisterhood and community service to givestudents a chance to step away from their busy schedules and focus on themselves and others.