The Health Resource Center is set to implement weekly health programs so that Cal State Long Beach students may look at Mondays in a new way: As a chance for a fresh start.
The Monday Campaigns is a national movement that dedicates the first day of every week to health. The campaigns include programs like Meatless Monday, Move It Monday and Quit & Stay Quit Monday for smoking cessation.
The Monday Campaigns have been implemented at more than 55 colleges and universities across the country.
Heidi Burkey, health educator for the health resource center at CSULB, is working to bring The Monday Campaigns to Long Beach.
When Burkey first heard of The Monday Campaigns through the American College Health Association, she said it was a great idea to look at how our university can use social marketing to affect behavior change.
The Health Resource Center plans on utilizing its website and social media to promote the program. Burkey hopes to have the first Monday Campaign — Meatless Monday — online with tips and menu options in a few weeks.
Burkey said she sees a real need for behavior change at CSULB, particularly smoking cessation and diet and exercise changes.
“Our goal is to make students healthier because a healthy student is a more productive student,” Burkey said.
“Mondays are often considered a fresh start. So every Monday is one of 52 chances in the year for new, healthy behavior,” she continued.
According to Burkey, studies show that when people choose Monday as their behavior change day, they’re more successful.
Northern Kentucky University (NKU) implemented The Monday Campaigns at their wellness center more than four years ago.
Karen Campbell, director of wellness at NKU, said some of the Monday programs they have incorporated include Meatless Mondays, Monday Mile walking routes and Healthy Monday; Let’s Talk, which focuses on raising awareness about obesity.
According to Campbell, students’ levels of awareness have increased and that has led to behavior changes.
“Our data is indicating these efforts are indeed making a difference — students are responding and adopting many of the behaviors that we encourage — walking Monday Miles, choosing Meatless Monday entrees,” Campbell said.
Burkey said The Monday Campaigns will allow students to recognize their own health behaviors that need to change and, ultimately, increase their quality of life.
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