Eskimos have more than thirty words to describe snow, but that's nothing compared to the number of synonyms for "states of mental health" in the English language: kooky, batty, out to lunch, bonzo, fruity, fruitcake, wingnut, screwball, slap-happy, flipped, off the wall, haywire, gaga, minus some buttons, certifiable, giddy, rowing with one oar in the water, meshuggah, three bricks shy of a load, mental, ape, loco, unhinged, off your rocker, cuckoo, cracked, nutty, daft, moonstruck, mad as a hatter, off the trolley, bonkers, bananas, round the bend, goofy, barmy, flaky, loony, and bats in the belfry. The number of words for mental unwellness attest to how prevalent these illnesses are in our society.

This past Tuesday, Oct. 10 was National Mental Wellness Day. There were no planned events but pink signs dotting the campus offering ways to celebrate. Take a walk. Call a friend. Relieve stress. These were the friendly words of advice with which the St. Olaf Wellness Center advertised the day. But how many students took notice, despite the Wellness Center's efforts? College life is often frenzied. Few people take time to read all the notices or, if they do, often ignore them.

Renee Sauter, Assistant Wellness Coordinator, explained why the center had chosen to announce the day, "We decided [to announce it] because so many [students] aren't fully aware of all the mental illnesses out there. We wanted to motivate people to actively reduce stress in their lives." Though taking a walk, or reading a book may not be your style of relaxation the message behind National Wellness Day is clear. As Rhymin' Simon says "Life can often be a mess, so do something fun to lessen the stress."