On August 28th, Skyline Library, in collaboration with Active Minds, welcomed four students to the first of six sessions of the popular live programming event “Skyline Stories of Self-Fullness.” This first session, “Academic & Parental Pressures,” acted as an important introduction to the series’ overarching topic, which seeks to normalize holistic self-care amongst all who make up our shared college community.
Outreach and Equity Librarian Pia Walawalkar and Counselor Perry Chen co-facilitated “Academic & Parental Pressures,” which kicked off the SF series with a lively discussion of student anxieties related to schoolwork and family life. Students had the chance to voice their struggles around this subject and listen to others’ thoughts and ideas for managing them. They created artwork and took time for journaling and poetry writing with free materials (Play-Doh, notebooks, art supplies) provided by the Library Outreach PIF grant.
Pia Walawalkar said of the event, “We had some very engaging conversations and, as always, ran out of time. ” Students listened, spoke aloud, and used the Padlet App to share some of their own experiences relating to the topic of Academic and parental Pressure. One anonymous participant summed it all up with this simple and powerful statement: “Being expected to be good at everything in life, school, work, friends.”
Library staff hope more Skyline Faculty will invite and/or bring in their students to participate in the upcoming sessions of SSSF. And they encourage Faculty to offer Extra Credit points to those who attend! Students, ask your teachers if you can get extra credit this way!
The sessions that follow will continue into the semester and include the following topics: Social Media, Discrimination, Wholeness & Wellness, Identity, and how to navigate the ever-complicated Holiday season. All aspects of the SSSF Series are complimentary to student life. Librarian Jessica Silver-Sharp speaks highly of the program, now in its second year. She states the series has “a goal of meeting students’ needs for a safe, creative space on campus with time to connect on these essential topics.”
Please see the flyer for more details on all upcoming “Skyline Stories of Self Fullness.”
Questions? Please reach out to:
Pia Walawalkar walawalkars@smccd.edu or Perry Chen chenp@smccd.edu
Note: Photos and names were intentionally not shared to respect participant confidentiality.
Article by Jenny Vega