Active Minds will be hosting a movie night on campus April 20 from 6- 8 p.m. in Walb 114, to introduce the group to students, as well as give students time to relax.
Active Minds is a student organization, in conjunction with the Student Assistance Program, are about promoting awareness for mental health. They also provide awareness to suicide prevention as well.
The student organization puts on one movie night per semester. They will be showing “Big Hero 6”.
President Manal Saeed said it is a recruiting tool, but is more of a night to discuss mental health themes within the film and just have fun.
“We usually take the movie apart,” Saeed said. “We will talk about the common themes. If anything, it’s like a fun night out.”
Saeed said there will also be a counselor present just in case anyone is triggered during the movie.
Past movies they have shown with mental health themes include “Inside Out” and “Good Will Hunting.”
Courtney Seymour, vice president, agrees with Saeed, stating that the fun from the movie will lead to having facilitated discussion about mental health issues.
“I’m glad we choose the certain movies we do. We chose it because we obviously want to relate it to mental health, but do want to make it fun,” Seymour said. “It is like our way to opening up the floor about mental health.”
Active Minds Secretary Damini Handa said her favorite part of the movie night is how people have different perspectives on the themes in the film. It allows a person to be vulnerable.
“It’s really interesting to see. You hear 20 other students, faculty or whoever is attending from a different angle,” Handa said. “That’s exposure to a lot of different things.”
Saeed said she agrees with Handa, saying that people’s reactions will differ from one another. However, Active Minds puts emphasis into having fun in all their events. Saeed said they are never boring.
“There is always laughs. We always want to have fun,” Saeed said. “We just want to spread that. If anything, they are having a fun night out.”
Although Active Minds is creating awareness for mental illness and educating students, the night can also be used as a chance to just simply relax and enjoy.
“It just an open-ended discussion, but it is also an hour and a half just to chill and relax and be able to take your mind away from things,” Seymour said. “It’s a way to watch something educational yet fun.”
Seymour said their movie nights’ average about 20-30 people. She said having a large attendance is not a priority, but would like to see it increase.
“We just want as many people to come willingly,” Seymour said. “Whoever comes we would love to talk to them about Active Minds and talk about the movie.”