Six reasons to visit the Student Wellness Centre

The Student Wellness Centre (SWC) is open for the 2025-26 academic year! This September marks the SWC’s two-year anniversary, providing UM students with a space to prioritize wellbeing and connect with supports. If you haven’t checked out the space in the past year, this fall is a great time! Start off the term by prioritizing wellness. Here’s six reasons to pay them a visit:

1. Lounge: The SWC boasts a comfy and convenient lounge space, and anyone is welcome to use it! Sometimes you just need a spot on campus to study, eat lunch, or just decompress, and the lounge is available for any of those purposes and more.
2. Wellness resource library: Come check out the text resources that the SWC has made available for students. You’ll find a variety of books and pamphlets on subjects related to health, wellbeing, safety, and more. Maybe you’ll find the answer to a question, or maybe you’ll discover a new strategy for maintaining your mental health.
3. Harm reduction and health/hygiene supplies: The SWC views wellness from a holistic perspective, so sexual and physical health is an important part of the whole picture of wellness. That’s why they stock safer sex supplies – such as various forms of contraception and HIV self-test kits and menstrual supplies. These materials are available for free to all UM students and can be found in the wellness resource library. If you or someone you know could benefit from these materials, the SWC is a non-judgmental, safe place to source them.
4. Consultations: Interpersonal support is also available. The SWC is staffed with Healthy U Peer Health Educators who are trained to listen to or talk through your wellness needs. If you’re seeking out a higher level of professional care, the SWC is still a great place to start. Peer Health Educators are equipped with a knowledge of further supports at the university and in the wider community, and they can help point you in the right direction.
5. Events: Keep an eye out for the wellness events that the SWC hosts throughout the year! The goal of the events is to help students de-stress, whether by offering fun activities and snacks or by distributing helpful resources. Past activities have included pet therapy, crafts, and movie nights. To stay in the loop on upcoming events, follow @healthyuofm on Instagram or visit healthyuofm.com.
6. No reason at all: You don’t need a reason to visit the SWC! If you’re just curious to check out the space, come poke your head in. The SWC was created to be a comfortable and inclusive place where students can relax; no one will interrogate you about why you’re there. The space operates on a drop-in basis – no need for an appointment, just stop by!

Why not take a minute to check out the SWC this fall? You can find them at 162 Extended Education Complex (Fort Garry Campus) Monday through Friday. Check out @healthyuofm on Instagram for the  most up-to-date open hours. Questions? Reach out to healthandwellness[at]umanitoba[dot]ca.

Ashlin Daly, Student Writer, Student Affairs