Smashing pumpkins: More mess, less stress for MUN students
The post-Halloween bash was organized to end stigma about anxiety and mental illness
Deadlines and debt are a constant source of anxiety for students at Memorial University but on Thursday, they found a way to relieve that stress.
They gathered on the campus in St. John's to smash a few dozen post-Halloween pumpkins, taking out their frustrations with a baseball bat.
While ending the stigma about mental health issues was the serious message behind the event, most students said it was just a bit of fun.
"It feels good. It's really stress-relieving," said third-year student Rebecca Sheppard as she bashed enthusiastically.
"A lot of school work, and due dates around the same time ... I usually try to take a few breathers."
Organizers with Jack.org, a campus mental health advocacy group, encouraged students to write on the pumpkins before beating them to a pulp.
They said students need to know that it's OK to talk about mental health and to ask for help.
