Hell week is on the horizon
By Noah Hayden
Dec, 9, 2021
Virginia Tech’s Vietnamese Student Association and Chinese American Society prepare themselves for finals week by hosting a Yule Ball.
Blacksburg, Va, Dec. 9, 2021- Party time: Over 300 members from the Vietnamese Student Association and Chinese American Society come together for two hours in order to have fun,
Photo: Noah Hayden
College students across the nation are dreading the near future as many must endure soul shattering exams, exasperating projects, and a truckful of work during finals week. The students of Virginia Tech are no different as they will soon find themselves smack dab in the middle of hell by this time next week.
Many students may exhibit episodes of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues as a result. According to the Mayo Health Clinic, 44% of college students reported having symptoms of depression and anxiety. To add to this, Sarah Brown outlined in her book, “Overwhelmed: The real campus mental-health crisis and new models for well-being,” that 36% of students have been diagnosed with major or moderate depression. However, the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) and Chinese American Society (CAS) are dedicated to making sure students enter finals week with a healthy state of mind. For one night, the two clubs are joining together to host a Yule Ball.
While taking inspiration from the multi-work series, “Harry Potter,” the student held Yule Ball will feature
The above graphic gives a better understanding on the current mental health issues that college students are suffering from.
more than just dancing. In fact, the event is more than a mere prom as students have decided to carve out time for a popular Christmas game known as White Elephant. That’s not all as both CAS and VSA have made food preparations to accommodate an estimated turnout of over 200 members. The reason behind all of this effort is due to CAS and VSA’s beliefs about mental health.
“I remember how stressed I was. It was really overwhelming and I did not get a lot of time to myself,” said VSA’s event coordinator Mai Huynh. “That caused my mental health to not do so hot, I kind of deteriorated over time, and that’s when I realized how important taking breaks are sometimes.”
The Yule Ball is meant to serve as a time for CAS and VSA members to relax before finals week, or as they call, “hell week.” The hope is that some of the anticipated stress is relieved before it even occurs. Although this event isn’t as culturally focused as some of their past events like Chinabration, both CAS and VSA are content in knowing that their members greatly appreciate their efforts.