Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, is World Mental Health Day. This day serves as a reminder for Moorpark College students to prioritize their mental and emotional well-being.
Anxiety and stress are common among college students due to the heavy workload from classes, outside duties and sometimes jobs. According to an article by the National Library of Medicine, “Anxiety disorder among college students has become a global public health problem that cannot be ignored.” Students are always on the go and need a break from the pressures weighing on them, and art can help students with their mental health.
The Moorpark College ceramics program is a part of the many art courses offered that can help ease college students’ mental health, alleviate anxiety and other mental ailments that may prevent them from performing their best.
As stated in an article on the National Library of Medicine’s website, engaging in physical activities can have a positive effect on mental health when experiencing negative emotions. Creating ceramic art involves physical actions such as “kneading, squeezing, rubbing, pressing, painting and carving on the clay,” which can help alleviate anxiety.
Moorpark College ceramics professor Donna Scott explained what made ceramics positive for students’ mental health.
“Ceramics involves getting to know how to work with clay and the sensory experience of the clay, the earthy scent and the coolness of it,” Scott explained. “If you make a project and you mess up you can just rework the clay again.”
The key to ceramics’ benefits for mental health lies in the unique sensory experience it provides, as well as the opportunity to work with hands and learn from mistakes without facing harsh consequences.
According to an article from Psychology Today, working with hands, such as in ceramics, could be the key to maintaining a “healthy mood.” Without working with hands, it could lead to more negative side effects, such as “irritability, apathy and depression.”
Isabella Recinos, a second-year Moorpark College student, found that engaging in the art of ceramics has helped them explore their creative side, uplift their mood and focus on the moment, forgetting any worries.
“You kind of don’t really think about anything else,” Recinos explained. “And I don’t know it helps you just, like, kind of focus in a peace of mind, in a way, like you’re working, and you pull your energy and effort and your time into work.”
The ceramics program encourages students to channel strong emotions into creating something beautiful. Stephon Garzon, a political science major at Moorpark College, explained how working with clay can be a stress reliever.
“It’s like I could put all my anger and anxiety into smashing the clay when I’m centering it,” Garzon said. “And then, you know, whatever, all that anger and stuff, you know, goes into the clay.”
Mental health is essential to support students, and the ceramics program offers students the opportunity to escape the chaos of college life, create and unwind.
For more information about art and art history courses provided at Moorpark College click here. For mental health resources at Moorpark College visit the Student Health Center for more information.
