Classes teach how to love yourself

February is known for Valentine’s Day, the day for couples to celebrate their love.  MOSO Week Squad, however, decided that February could hold a lot more love than that.  They arranged three weeks into “Love Yourself,” “Love Your Partner” and “Love Your Body.”  

“Love Month,” as MOSO Week Squad has named it, is an attempt to help individuals focus on nurturing their relationships and also setting time aside to care for themselves.  

“Since advertisements and stores cause people to focus on romantic relationships during the month of February, people often become discontent with their singleness, their partner, or simply with themselves,” said Beth Purcell, sophomore International Business and German major. “By hosting the Love Month we want to encourage students to be content in the relationships they have and love themselves as well, because you need to love yourself before you can love someone else.”

The first week, “Love Yourself,” was from Feb. 7 through 11 and had such activities as Spa Night in the Student Life Center which consisted of the Mary Kay Satin Hands treatment, feet soaking in Epson salt and hot water and snacking on fruit and brownies.  They followed this with some popcorn and the movie “Eat. Pray. Love.”

“After trudging around in the snow and cold this was a perfect way for them to ‘love themselves,'” Purcell said.

Feb. 14 through Feb. 18 was “Love Your Partner” week which started out with a table in the Lions Den for anyone to come and make a Valentine for his or her sweetheart.  There was a Valentine’s dance, hosted by CAB, put on Monday evening.  

The week also had a competition of who had the healthiest relationship on campus.  Those interested in participating simply had to answer questions about their relationship and put it in a box in the Lion’s Den.

Next week is “Love Your Body” week which emphasizes the importance of taking caring of your body and accepting the body you’ve been given.  Activities for this week include a healthy cooking contest open to all faculty and students on Thursday and showings of “America the Beautiful,” a documentary about a 12-year-old model.  

“The film deals with America’s obsession with beauty and the problems it can and has led to,” Purcell said. “I am personally very excited to see this movie and think it will be an interesting and pertinent film for a week where we focus on loving our bodies.”

Sarah Neldeberg, clinical counselor and academic adviser, adds her excitement to this.  “It is an excellent, thought provoking film that looks at how the media portrays body image, and attempts to answer the question, ‘Is America obsessed with beauty?'”

Neldeberg also recommends anyone participate in the Healthy Cooking Contest.  People can sign up in the ACTS office or CAB office.  “We are excited about this,” she said.  “It’s the first time are putting it on.”

MOSO Week Squad’s next big events will take place in March for Safe Spring Break Week.