The Suffolk University Peer-health Education Resource (SUPER) is the place to go for health questions among college students.
They are not just the group who hands out condoms. The SUPERs are currently hosting programs to reduce stress and have plans to address college drinking next month.
“It’s all about education in a fun way,” said Mari Leclerc, a junior SUPER. “We give an approachable way to stay healthy in general.”
Right now, the group is hosting S.O.S., or serenity over stress. Each Monday night they host an event to help students, especially freshmen that are having difficulty adjusting to college life, manage their stress. They have already hosted massage and zumba classes.
Next in store for S.O.S. is a class on sleep. They will discuss how sleep affects stress, and what foods students can eat before bed to help them lull off into a restful slumber.
There will be giveaways and chances to make sleep kits, said Leclerc.
“It’s a way to talk about or do something that helps,” she said.
On Oct. 7, the final S.O.S. installment will be a yoga lesson. The SUPERs have hosted yoga before, and usually bring in a representative from the interfaith center. They will also do some meditation to help calm the nerves of students in need of a break.
“It allows them to learn different techniques and it’s a fun thing to do on a Monday night,” Leclerc said.
Later in October, the SUPERs will focus their strength on National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week.
One of their strategies will be asking students “what would your night have been like with one less drink?” said Leclerc.
They are mostly trying to bring awareness to the effects of drinking and address overconsumption, said Leclerc.
“We’re asking people to think about their personal habits, not preaching to people not to drink,” Leclerc said. “We’re trying to think about alcohol culture as a whole.”
Other attractions for the SUPERs include the campus crawl. The SUPERs look forward to connecting with students during a night filled with fun events.
And, as always, they will have the free condoms they are most recognized for.
