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News Release

Last modified: Friday, September 30, 2011

Health weeks at IU Bloomington: Museum tours, massages, HIV testing, yoga, safety tips and more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 3, 2011

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- An expanded series of health weeks resumes this week (Oct. 3-7) and will run through Oct. 29 at Indiana University Bloomington, where health and wellness experts have planned activities to help students de-stress, and to stay safer physically and sexually, sharing tips and information about effective alcohol management both on and off campus.

The series continues after a successful, fourth annual Sexploration Week last month and almost 40 years of the IU Health Fair presented by the IU Health Center. Activities in the coming week include relaxing tours of the IU Art Museum, a talk about the "playful side of sex," the 39th annual IU Health Fair, which will include free HIV testing, and a "yoga flash mob."

"Enjoying the IU Art Museum is a great way to de-stress and it's free and conveniently located in the center of campus," said Barbara Moss, a health educator at the IU Health Center. "This activity and others, such as free massages at the Health Fair, are designed to help students de-stress and learn about terrific, free resources available for relaxation and spiritual renewal."

Museum tours will take place on Oct. 3 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Students interested in participating can contact Moss at bimoss@indiana.edu to sign up for one of the tours.

Activities in subsequent weeks include a "Streets Smarts" program to help students be physically safer on and off campus, alcohol awareness information in support of National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week Oct. 17-21, and finally, "My IUB is Tobacco Free" tobacco-free week from Oct. 25-29, which ends with a tobacco-free tailgate event before the IU-Northwestern football game.

Here is a list of activities, which are open to the public:

• "Exploring the Senses through Art": Oct. 3, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Participation in the one-hour tours will be limited to those who have signed up. To sign up for a tour, contact Barbara Moss at bimoss@indiana.edu.
• "The Playful Side of Sex: 10 Curious Lessons from Sex Research" talk: Oct. 4 at 4 p.m. in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation auditorium. Debby Herbenick, associate director of the School of HPER's Center for Sexual Health Promotion and author of Because It Feels Good: A Woman's Guide to Sexual Pleasure and Satisfaction, will lead the discussion. Herbenick is also a sexual health educator at The Kinsey Institute.
• Yoga flash mob: Oct. 5, 4-5 p.m., at the Wright Quad Courtyard. Attendees can bring their own mat but it's not required. "This event should be great fun as well as very relaxing," said Andreas Weinrich, long-time yoga instructor and teacher for this event. "Yoga is something you can do by yourself during a few minutes of quiet time during the day, or follow up with a regular class. Those new to yoga as well as seasoned 'yogis' are all encouraged to attend."
• 39th annual IU Health Fair: Oct. 6, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. in Alumni Hall of the Indiana Memorial Union, 900 E. Seventh St. Both IU students and community members will have an opportunity to explore services offered by 45 health-related organizations from Bloomington and the IU Bloomington campus. "This fair will be even bigger than in the past and offer free eye exams, hearing tests, and blood pressure screenings. IU-covered employees can get their annual flu shots and students can have their flu shot charged to their bursar bill," Moss said. "There will also be lots of delicious snacks, blended healthy drinks and loads of give-aways." IUSecrets, the postcards containing IU students' most personal secrets, will also be revealed (anonymously, of course), in the solarium at the fair, said Cathlene Hardy Hansen, IU's director of health & wellness education at the IU Health Center.
• Free HIV testing -- results while you wait: Oct. 6 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., in the Oak Room of the IMU. IU Health's Positive Link will provide the testing, which uses an oral swab of cells from inside the mouth and can produce results within 20 minutes.
• De-stress Fest: Oct. 12-13, 7-9 p.m., main lobby of the Wells Library. Attendees can enjoy free mini chair massage, aromatherapy, games, stress ball making and free tobacco cessation information. "Come and get a free five-minute chair massage, play a game or two, pick up free tobacco cessation information and check up on your emotional health, courtesy of the IU Health Center's Counseling and Psychological Services, Health and Wellness Education and the Wells Library," said Chris Meno, psychologist with IU's Counseling and Psychological Services.
• "Street Smarts": Oct. 13, 6:30-8:00p.m. Students can learn to stay safer from sexual assault by watching a mini play and also role playing by IU students from RAISE (Raising Awareness of Interactions with Sexual Encounters). Participants can receive useful tips for keeping physically safe on and off campus from the IU Police Department. Also available will be tips about drinking practices that allow people to be safe and still have great times. "Knowing what to do to ensure one's safety sexually and in other physical ways without victim blaming is very important," said Debbie Melloan, sexual health psychologist at the IU Health Center. Leslie Slone from the IUPD said the presentation will be informative "but also provide an entertaining approach to a very important and timely subject."
• National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week: Oct. 17-21, IU Bloomington's theme is "Increasing Awareness Through Action." "Students can increase awareness through action if they choose to drink by doing so in a responsible way that does not cause harm to themselves or others; by looking out for their friends and intervening if they think that their friend is hurt or in trouble due to alcohol, and by getting involved in alternative activities on campus," said Janna Williams, Office of Alternative Screening and Intervention Services. Throughout the week there will be more information provided to students on how they can increase awareness through their actions.
• Alcohol awareness talk: Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., in Alumni Hall of the IMU. Jason Kilmer, a psychologist from the University of Washington, will be speaking about many alcohol-related topics, including how alcohol affects students and the IU Bloomington community.
• Football tailgate: Oct. 29, before the IU-Northwestern game at noon. A tobacco cessation tailgating event as part of "My IUB is Tobacco Free" week, Oct 25-29.

Sponsors for IU Wellness Weeks include: IU Health Center Health & Wellness Education, IU Health Center Counseling and Psychological Services, IU OASIS, (Office of Alternative Screening and Intervention Services) and Positive Link, Indiana University Health Bloomington.

For more information, visit healthcenter.indiana.edu/wellness or the Health and Wellness Facebook page.

For additional assistance, contact Cathlene Hardy Hansen at 812-855-7338 or chhansen@indiana.edu.

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