Virginia State University cancels classes Tuesday to fight COVID mental, physical fatigue
'Trojan Wellness Day' will feature series of events on how to cope with the anxiety that the pandemic has created, especially among college students
Bill AtkinsonETTRICK — Virginia State University announced Monday that it was cancelling classes Tuesday to give students and staff a mental and physical break from COVID-19 fatigue.
The "Trojan Wellness Day" is a chance for everyone in the college community to "mitigate the increased loneliness, stress, anxiety, and depression, caused in part by the COVID-19 pandemic," the university said in a statement released Monday night. While there have not been a major uptick in COVID cases on campus — VSU says the virus positivity rate is "less than 1%" — the college's Student Government Association, Faculty and Staff Senate and the Health & Wellness Center opted to call off school Tuesday to let the community rest and recharge.
“Not only is everyone under a significant amount of pressure, dealing with the typical stress of higher education, but now everyone is doing so with the added demands and exertions of a global pandemic," VSU president Dr. Makola Abdullah said in the statement. "This makes intentional intervention to address physical and emotional wellness — all the more necessary — which is exactly what this Trojan Wellness Day is all about.”
Instead of classes Tuesday, VSU will give students the chance to take part in a series of Wellness Day activities coordinated by the Health & Wellness Center. Students are also being encouraged to contact the University Counseling Center if they need assistance in coping with pandemic fatigue.
VSU employees will have the choice to take Tuesday as a day of leave or as a "relaxed workday" complete with an option to dress down while on campus. The employees also can take part in the wellness activities or spend encouragement time with one another.
"Virginia State University is encouraging everyone to prioritize self-care on this day," the university wrote in the statement.
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Veteran journalist Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is the regional daily news coach for the USA TODAY Network Southeast Region's Unified Central group, which includes Virginia, West Virginia and portions of North Carolina. He is based at The Progress-Index in Petersburg, Virginia. Contact Bill at batkinson@progress-index.com, and follow him on Twitter at @BAtkinson_PI.