There are many ways to train and maintain a healthy mind, body and spirit while on campus at USC. To help with that challenge, the university’s Healthy Carolina program is hosting the Healthy Campus Summit Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Capstone Campus Room.
When asked about their opinions on the quality of access to healthy living at USC, most students, like first-year chemical engineering student Jacqueline Phillips, thought of the different dining options at the university.
“I really appreciate all the food options USC offers. They cater to all of the student’s likings and go out of their way to offer healthy and fresh meals,” Phillips said.
While not every student enjoys eating healthy in Russell House — or even substituting a Chick-fil-A sandwich for a crunchy salad — knowing that there is an available option for a healthier meal is still comforting to students.
“I would say, food-wise, USC has lots of healthy options. I don’t necessarily eat at those places, but it’s good to know they’re there,” first-year public relations student Logan Sexton said.
While most students support the idea of healthy options at USC, including supporting ways to promote proper dietary and mental health, some students, like first-year marketing student Jack Jarrell, opposed the idea of mandatory healthy eating.
“I think USC has more than enough healthy options, and I don’t think they should force us to use them. It shouldn’t be required,” Jarrell said.
The Healthy Campus Summit is free to students.
Of course, maintaining a healthy diet is not the only way students at USC can be healthy overall. The Healthy Campus Summit plans on elaborating more on mental health rather than focusing on the importance of maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. The conference will designate times during the event to discuss suicide prevention, substance abuse recovery and the importance of peer support.
According to their webpage, the Healthy Carolina mission statement is "to create a healthy campus environment that promotes the development and maintenance of a healthy body, mind and spirit through the collaborative development, promotion and assessment of policies, programs, services and initiatives that address all dimensions of wellness for the members of the ... campus community.”
Healthy Carolina encourages students to learn new ways that they can take care of not only their physical health, but their mental and emotional health as well.