The Rush University Student Wellness Association, known as RU Well, is working to help students manage their well-being and promote health, according to an April 29 announcement. Co-presidents Richa Sharma and Kendall Kobe are leading efforts to provide tools and techniques that support student wellness through various events.
RU Well organizes activities such as a succulent planting event, which Sharma described as “a great way for people to take a break from studying.” She said the event brought together students from different colleges including occupational therapy, medicine, and nursing. “People were able to interact and relax during a stressful time,” Sharma said.
Sharma, who is in her second year of medical school with interests in psychiatry and internal medicine, said the demands of healthcare education can be stressful. “There’s a lot that goes into every job at Rush. We’re always caring for other people, but we have to also take care of ourselves,” she said. “If we don’t, we can’t continue school or do what we need to do. Mental health is so important, and I think it’s easy to lose sight of our own well-being.”
Kobe joined RU Well as a first-year student seeking new activities that complemented her occupational therapy studies. She said that coloring helps relieve stress during school: “In OT, we’re really big on arts, crafts and mental health,” Kobe said.
Mary Duckett from the Rush University Wellness Center offered several tips for managing stress: eliminating intentional worrying by identifying controllable factors; practicing mindfulness using resources like the Koa Care 360 meditation app; setting boundaries with professors or managers; showing gratitude; making realistic schedules with breaks; and making time for enjoyable activities such as listening to music or exercising at the free Rush Fitness Center.
Located in Chicago since its founding in 1837,Rush University Medical Center serves both as a hospital with pediatric wards and as a training facility under President Dr. Omar Lateef.
