Being a teenager is hard: hormones, school, social obligations, and even being surrounded by other hormonal teenagers. Sometimes, amidst all the chaos, we need a break.
From our partnership with Just As I Am, a youth empowerment organization, to the creation of our Wellness Committee, it’s easy to conclude that Museum understands our teenage exhaustion and prioritizes wellness—most notably seen in the creation of Wellness Wednesday.
Originating during the COVID pandemic, the 9-11th grade guidance counselor pitched the idea in order to give teachers and students alike “a step back from the typical day-to-day routine and have a breather.” After all, sitting on a screen all day was helping no one.
Although its original intention was for all of us hiding out in our rooms, surviving off of “Glee” binges and Cheetos (maybe that was just me…), when the pandemic restrictions lifted and in-person school resumed, it became clear that Wellness Wednesday had to be worked into the regular instruction. Reconfiguring the program, the administration decided to hold it monthly. Ms. Williams said, “We still want to celebrate and highlight taking care of personal wellness, whatever that might mean to you.”
Over the past two years, Wellness Wednesday has included trips to Little Island, the floating park along Chelsea piers (I didn’t go because I had a stomach bug and threw up four times, breaking my 3-year-long no barf streak), team-building activities by grade in the gym, and wellness assemblies where the guidance department lectures on about different ways to practice self-care.
The guidance committee values student input in activity planning. Ms. Williams said “I feel like it’s better received kid-to-kid than with the adults.”
Freshman Libby Ribok said “[Wellness Wednesday is] a way for our school to come together… We have a very large group [here] that we can talk to.”
Senior Michael Doyle noted how he “just [catches] up on school work or college stuff instead of doing the activities,” acknowledging how “It’s nice to not have [assigned] work.”
Regardless of how you spend your time during Wellness Wednesday, whether it’s finishing up college applications or actually participating in activities, the program is a perfect way for everyone to learn how to take care of themselves mentally. Personally, I spend my Wellness Wednesdays power-ranking hot professional athletes, and that’s enough mental health support for me!
