Healthcoming event sparks little interest from students

Organizers held out fliers and offered free food to passing students Monday, asking them to stop to learn about health issues they might face in college, but most students were unreceptive to organizers’ offers.

The undergraduate student government Student Wellness Commission hosted the first Healthcoming event Monday, which aimed to educate incoming students on college-related health issues such as domestic violence and HIV and AIDS.

Brianna Lindberg, third-year human biology and society student who managed the table for the Body Image Task Force, said she hoped more students would come. She added only two people had signed up for her committee’s roster list more than an hour into the event.

“A lot of students are going to class, and they just don’t have the time to stop and learn,” Lindberg said.

Student Wellness Commissioner Marvin Chen said the event was intended to welcome students back to school and educate them on how to be healthy in a campus environment.

Chen added the commission put tables in high traffic areas, such as Bruin Plaza, hoping to attract students’ attention, and the event was partially successful because the organizers were able to reach out to a few students.

Michael Fat, a first-year business economics student who passed by the tables in Sunset Village, said he was surprised to learn there were clubs on campus dedicated to mental health issues. However, he added he didn’t think the event caught many students’ attention.

Fat said he thought the committees unrealistically expected to change student behaviors in a way that would better their health.

“They give everyone the same speech and expect people all to change when not everyone has the same values,” Fat said.

Nekter Juice Bar, which was giving out free samples of its products, garnered the most attention of the booths at the fair.

Susan Klapperbein, an organizer for the Health, Nutrition and Fitness Committee and fourth-year psychobiology student, said her table handed out granola bars to promote healthy eating habits.

Lucy Gao, a second-year undeclared life science student, said she only went to their table to grab a granola bar and was not particularly interested in the healthy eating campaign.

Regardless of the lack of interest among some students, Healthcoming allowed new organizations, such as Bruins for Recovery, to introduce themselves to the student body.

David Boyer, an organizer for Bruins for Recovery and graduate student in biochemistry, said his committee seeks to provide students with a safe environment where they can discuss past run-ins with drugs and their journey to recovery.

All of Us: A Campaign to Rethink Mental Health and the UCLA Blood and Platelet Center will host events later this week to continue to promote student health and wellness.