This year’s SMU Mental Health Week (MHW) was more than an annual tradition — it was a milestone. Held from 22 to 24 October, the event coincided with both SMU’s 25th Anniversary and World Mental Health Day (10 October), bringing together students, staff and faculty in a vibrant celebration of resilience and care.
The week began with a special student dialogue featuring Minister for Education and Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration Mr Desmond Lee, who joined student leaders who are actively promoting well-being, in a candid discussion about mental health, help-seeking, and the evolving role of technology in self-care.
Minister Lee noted that mental health awareness has grown and emphasised the need for continued efforts to normalise conversations and access to support. The dialogue set the tone for the rest of the week, one that went beyond awareness to emphasise collective action and empathy under the theme “Empowered to Thrive, Strength in Every Step.”
A Boardgame of Resilience
At the heart of MHW 2025 was a boardgame-inspired roadshow that transformed the SMU Concourse into a lively hub of engagement. Spanning the space between the two MRT exits, the expanded layout reflected the scale and ambition of this year’s event — mirroring the university’s commitment to well-being as a core part of campus life.
“What’s special this year is that we’ve brought together all six dimensions of the SMU Resilience Framework,” said Michelle Koay, Head of the Mrs Wong Kwok Leong Student Wellness Centre (MWKLSWC). “In previous years, we focused on one area, but this time, we wanted to show how interconnected they all are. It’s a reminder that we can’t pay attention to one and neglect another.”
Participants moved through several interactive stations, each representing a dimension of the SMU Resilience Framework:
- Physical Resilience: With Student Care and Support Services and SMU-Xploration, students took on the Move It! Challenge on stationary rowers and bikes, before creating their own Physical Well-being Kits to support personal fitness goals.
- Intellectual Resilience: In collaboration with SMU Libraries and the SMU Student Council of Discipline, the booth offered Brain Bounce, a scenario-based game to stretch critical thinking, a Cosy Reading Corner with curated readings for reflection, and Meet Your Book Therapist sessions to explore resources that support perseverance, integrity, and growth.
- Social Resilience: Partnering with Voices@SMU and Voices Advocates, participants listened to curated student experiences and reflected on their own connections through guided writing prompts, fostering empathy, self-awareness, and stronger relationships.
- Emotional Resilience: Led by mindline.sg and the SMU Psychology Society, students assessed their mood and stress using PHQ-9 and GAD-7, learned practical coping exercises, and received resources to continue nurturing emotional well-being beyond the event.
- Career Resilience: In partnership with Student Accessibility Support, Dato’ Kho Hui Meng Career Centre, SMU Career Champions, and SMU Purple, participants explored the Power Up! activity using the Triple A approach — Anticipate, Advocate, Adapt — to navigate workplace challenges, reflect on career goals, and learn practical tips from coaches.
- Financial Resilience: With SMU FinLIT, students played My Shiok Value, an interactive game that encouraged reflection on spending habits, balancing enjoyment with meaningful savings, and building long-term financial resilience.
- Cosy Conversations: Curated by SMU Peer Helpers and SMUSA, this reflective space invited students to journal, art jam, or explore mini floor games, helping them identify which dimensions of resilience mattered most and giving practical tools to support their growth.
Together, these stations created a 360° view of well-being, showing that resilience is multifaceted, encompassing physical health, emotional balance, social support, career readiness, and financial awareness.
Conversations that Matter
Beyond the games and booths, Cosy Conversations provided a quieter space for reflection through games, art jamming, journaling, and peer sharing. Facilitated by SMU Peer Helpers and SMUSA, the sessions encouraged students to identify which dimensions of resilience resonated most deeply with their own experiences.
Peer Helpers Shazrah Binte Mohammad Hannan (Year 2, SOSS) and Srivarshini Karunanithi (Year 3, LKCSB) reflected on their experiences supporting fellow students.
Shazrah shared:
As peer helpers, we’re often the first stop for our friends. Sometimes I ask them first if they just want someone to listen, or someone to explore solutions with. That helps me balance being a friend and being a trained helper.
Srivarshini added:
Many students today are more open and self-aware. They’re learning that doom-scrolling doesn’t really help them unwind. Instead, they’re trying to recharge in healthier ways, like going for walks or spending time with friends.
These student-led efforts underscore a key message of MHW 2025 — that mental well-being is collective, and peer support plays a vital role in building trust and community care.
Technology and Mental Health: A New Frontier
A key topic throughout the week was technology’s impact on mental health. Students expressed both curiosity and concern about AI — not just about jobs or ethics, but about losing critical thinking and problem-solving opportunities.
Ms Koay reflected on this shift:
Before AI came about, people used to Google their symptoms. Now, they might turn to AI tools for emotional support. That can be a helpful first step, but it’s not a replacement for real human connection. [Likening AI to fire] You can use it to cook and keep warm, but it can also burn. The key is learning to use it well.
These nuanced conversations underscored the importance of balance: while technology can be a bridge, the heart of mental health remains human.
A Shared Culture of Care
The message of well-being extended beyond students. The Office of Human Resources curated a month-long wellness series for faculty and staff, including mindfulness sessions and caregiver workshops. Meanwhile, SMU Libraries featured a special display on mental health and resilience from 21 October to 12 November.
Together, these initiatives reflected a shared belief: at SMU, well-being belongs to everyone.
Looking Ahead: Resilience for the Next 25 Years
As SMU marks its 25th year, Mental Health Week 2025 reaffirms the university’s commitment to building a compassionate, resilient community.
Ms Koay shared:
When we collaborate across offices, student clubs and external partners, it shows that mental well-being belongs to all of us. When everyone has ownership, everyone plays a part.”
Through the Peer Support Leaders, Resilience Framework, and ongoing campus wellness programmes, SMU continues to nurture a culture where seeking help is seen as strength, not weakness.
As the university looks toward the future, Mental Health Week 2025 reinforces a lasting message: well-being is everyone’s journey, and resilience begins with connection. From classrooms to concourses, SMU continues to build a community where every voice matters, every challenge is met with care, and every step forward is taken together.
