Wellness at Holman Biotech Commons
By offering wellness tools at Holman Biotech Commons, we aim to create a balanced and supportive space where patrons can thrive both personally and professionally, fostering a healthier, more engaged community.
At Holman Biotech Commons, we provide wellness resources to patrons to support their mental, emotional, and physical well-being. These resources help alleviate stress, boost focus, and enhance productivity, especially in high-pressure academic and research environments. By offering wellness tools, we aim to create a balanced and supportive space where patrons can thrive both personally and professionally, fostering a healthier, more engaged community.
Let’s Talk on Mondays
Let’s Talk offers free, confidential conversations for students to talk with a trained professional about stress, sadness, difficulty adjusting to school and other common concerns. The sessions are free to students and located in Study Room GS20 on the Stemmler side of the library from 2-5pm. Sessions are also available at other campus locations, including Van Pelt!
Relaxation Room
Holman Biotech Commons' relaxation room allows Penn students to take a break from studying and the stress of their coursework. The room has coloring papers, puzzles, and yoga mats for students to relax and center themselves with stress-relief activities. The room also has a self-care calendar that shares acts of kindness to practice each day of the month. During the holiday season, the relaxation room offers wellness bags that have coloring pages and pencils, journal prompts, a monthly calendar, and a stretch band. The room is also a prayer room with a mat for prayer and religious texts. The relaxation room is located in G-24 on the Stemmler side of the Holman Biotech Commons.
Comfy Lounge Chairs
Do you need a place to relax or take a quick nap between classes? Holman has La-Z-Boy reclining chairs. Kick your feet up, take a quick nap, and feel refreshed for your next class or lab.
Wellness in arts
Viewing and participating in art reduces stress and improves mental health. At Holman, we have beautiful Wixárika (Huichol) art from the collection of the late Eugene Garfield. Through February 2025, Holman is also featuring an exhibit of Mexican ex-votos. Ex-Votos are a collection of paintings used as a testimony for received blessings or healings to a saint or a divinity dating back to the early 1900s. The paintings included a description of the miracle and the saint that blessed them with it. The selection of Ex-Votos features different ailments and health professionals involved – doctors and nurses. What the curators hope people can take away from viewing these works is to gain knowledge about the cultural practices of Mexican folk art, the expressions of gratitude for miracles received, and how cultural beliefs relate to health and wellness.
To explore our resources that support your wellness journey, be sure to visit the Holman Biotech Commons, where you'll find the tools and space to thrive both academically and personally.
Date
October 9, 2024