Find Your P.A.C.E.: SMU Mental Health Week 2026 Focuses on Physical Resilience and Sustainable Habits

This year's Mental Health Week centred on physical resilience, inviting students and staff to pause, reset, and explore practical self-care habits. The student activities were organised by the Mrs Wong Kwok Leong Student Wellness Centre while there were also talks and workshops organised for staff by the Office of Human Resources team. Centred on the theme, P.A.C.E. Yourself: Power Your Mind, the activities encouraged everyone to discover small, intentional choices to cultivate long-term resilience.

Simple and Sustainable Self-Care with P.A.C.E.

From 22 to 23 October 2026, the SMU T-Junction was abuzz with activities that were designed to remind students to take care of their physical and mental wellbeing.

"This year, we wanted to shine a spotlight on physical resilience as an important foundation of our overall wellbeing. We came up with P.A.C.E. as a simple and memorable way to help students recognise the different ways they can care for themselves - through the spaces they spend time in, how they move their bodies, making time to rest and recharge, and nourishing themselves well," said Michelle Koay, Head of the Mrs Wong Kwok Leong Student Wellness Centre.

The event transformed the venue into an interactive wellness hub featuring four core experiences tailored to daily student life. At the P: Physical Spaces (Calm. Focus. Energise) station, developed in collaboration with SMU Libraries and Student Accessibility Support, participants explored distinct environment-based mindfulness concepts like the SMU Libraries' Calm Space and designed their ideal room. Moving into active wellness, the A: Activity (Move. Play. Recharge) zone, co-organised with the Student Council of Discipline, challenged students to complete exercise routines whenever they missed a target in a fun bean bag toss.

For restorative care, C: Chill & Rest (Pause. Reset.) created alongside the SMU Students' Association (SMUSA), guided students to identify their personal reset types and try out quick 60-second recharge techniques. Rounding out the framework was E: Eat Well (Build Your Bowl), curated by Student Care Officers to help students evaluate their daily nutrition choices by building custom interactive food bowls.

"Through the activities we've curated throughout the year, we hope students will discover that self-care doesn't have to be complicated. It's about finding their own P.A.C.E., recognising what works for them and making small, intentional choices that become sustainable habits to strengthen their wellbeing and resilience," said Michelle.

Peer Support and Community Connections

A key highlight of the activities was the P.A.C.E. 4 Stones Challenge, curated by the SMU Peer Helpers. Putting a modern twist on the traditional game of Five Stones, the activity required students to toss, pick, catch, and balance through four rounds representing each facet of P.A.C.E. while opening up dialogues around mental health.

"I believe that it's important to be involved in these events because they help students recognise the different aspects of mental wellbeing while also providing opportunities for them to explore different ways to take care of themselves," shared Caresse Liow, Year 3 student from the School of Social Sciences. She added, "As a Peer Helper, our involvement in these events allows us to connect with the student body to better understand their needs, and encourage our fellow peers to incorporate these healthy habits into their daily lives!"

For many students, the event provided a critical breather as assignment deadlines and examinations approached. Said Low Jing Xi, Year 3 student from the Lee Kong Chian School of Business, "Mental Health Week comes at a particularly crucial time for students, when we are juggling project submissions and presentations alongside the approaching final examinations. With the workload gradually piling up and peaking, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, making Mental Health Week a timely opportunity for us to reset and recharge, whilst serving as a reminder to ourselves that our mental wellbeing is key in sustaining our achievements."

He added, "Mental Health Week also creates a safe space for open conversations about mental health through the Peer Helpers activity, reminding us that it is okay to take a step back, seek support, and lean on one another when things get tough. Ultimately, I think initiatives like these help foster a more caring and supportive SMU community, where we can look out for one another and recognise that taking care of our mental health is not a luxury, but a necessity."

Attendees who completed three out of four booth experiences along with the Peer Helpers activity and student survey redeemed event giveaways and entered a lucky draw featuring over $3,500 worth of wellness technology and vouchers. Principal Wellness Sponsor ACTXA was also present, offering hands-on product trials and exclusive student discounts on smart rings, scales, and fitness bands.

Reflecting on her experience at the event, Saujenya Sivakumar, Year 4 student from the School of Economics said that her biggest takeaway from the event was to slow down and be more intentional. "My favourite activity definitely was creating my ideal room, as I could be creative in picking what I wanted to include. During the busy projects and exam period, the little 'whimsical' moments are what I have learnt to appreciate a lot as they spark joy," she shared.

Dedicated Staff Activities - Holistic Wellbeing across Campus

Recognising that mental wellness extends across the entire university, SMU's Office of Human Resources curated a dedicated lineup of workshops and talks for staff members from 13 to 22 October. To encourage mindfulness and physical movement, employees participated in hands-on sessions including Mat Pilates with Flow Studio, leather crafting with Bynd Artisan, custom perfume making with Carden, and a coffee appreciation workshop with Dutch Colony.

Alongside these tactile experiences, the team also hosted a series of practical wellness and support talks. In addition to the SMU WOW Lunch Talk on coping with caregiver stress, sessions led by Intellect covered topics ranging from sleep optimisation and the food-mood connection to navigating the unique challenges of the "sandwich generation" caring for both ageing parents and children. Together, these initiatives provided staff with valuable tools to manage personal and professional demands while prioritising their wellbeing.

Isabella Rosalind, Corporate Marketing and Brand Executive, Office of Corporate and Marketing Communications, participated in the Mat Pilates session. "Having only done yoga and reformer pilates before, trying a new activity was both an exciting physical and mental challenge. It reminded me that whenever routine becomes too monotonous and daily stresses pile up, I can simply pause, step out of my comfort zone, and embrace new experiences that make life more fun," she said.

MWKLSWC Receives Silver Ribbon Mental Health Award 2026

Adding to the week's celebrations, SMU's Mrs Wong Kwok Leong Student Wellness Centre received the Silver Ribbon Mental Health Award 2026 for its impactful contributions to mental health awareness, advocacy, and support, alongside 57 other individuals and organisations.

Michelle Koay, Head of the Centre, attended the award ceremony on 10 October, held in conjunction with World Mental Health Day. She received the accolade from Shawn Huang Wei Zhong, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Manpower, and MP for West Coast-Jurong West GRC. The award underscores SMU's ongoing commitment to building a supportive, health-conscious environment across campus.