![Group leaders [left to right] Jacarthie Brazil, Kira Baum, Carter-Elise Keating, and Abby Watkins pose for a picture after a successful interview. April 21, 2026.](https://nmsuroundup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/01_AnnaB_Health-Club_LowRes.jpg)
As college students around the world have to balance academic duties, jobs, outside activities, and relationships, moving through day-to-day life can feel as stressful as walking on a tightrope. At New Mexico State University, the Honors Meditation and Wellness Club (HMWC) was introduced to help students manage their stress through mindful practices and socialization.
Founded two years ago by an honors college student fulfilling a personal development project requirement for a First Year Seminar class, the club has grown into a program that allows students around campus to have a space to relax after scheduled responsibilities.
While the club’s main mission is to be a space promoting mental health and self-care for students, it’s also trying to integrate knowledge and information with PowerPoints connecting member’s majors to mental health practices and movement.
Through working closely with their advisor, the Honor’s College Associate Dean, Anne Hubbell, for support and outreach, HMWC has adopted their motto from the Honors College logo: mind, body, and spirit. However, just because the meeting location is in the Honors College doesn’t mean that it’s closed off to only students in the program.
“It’s all inclusive, for sure,” Treasurer Jacarthie Brazil said. “You don’t have to have a GPA requirement or anything. It’s definitely open to all, whoever’s available. We love to come and just hang out and relax.”
Besides having their biweekly yoga meetup or meditation and coloring sheet session, the group has taken on bigger activities, such as their first hike to Dripping Springs. In the future, HMWC hopes to expand to bigger group trips, like visiting White Sands National Park or a local pottery shop.
“I think the goal is more to just do bigger things,” President Carter-Elise Keating said. “I really want to contact places off campus for us. So it’s just like, a matter of people joining our club so we can get the money, so that way we can take everyone to do super fun things.”
The journey to becoming more mindful in daily life is never linear, and many members have had various ways of adopting stress-managing practice into their routines.
Whether it’s from becoming burnt-out after piling on activities, or from wanting to find balance after moving to a new city, HMWC proves that anyone can find an approach that works for them.
“Develop two different wellness strategies, one that you can do by yourself, and then one you can do with people,” Social Media Officer Kira Baum said. “I find that sometimes, I need a de–stressor that’s by myself, and for me, that’s walking. I love going out and walking, and then sometimes I need a de-stressor that [involves] talking with people.”
After learning many different techniques during their time with HMWC, the club’s officers also have many strategies to offer stressed students. They draw this advice from all kinds of situations and places, like watching an old favorite show or keeping an inspirational quote in mind.
“So this is my piece of advice, and it might be a little bit corny, [it’s] from a fortune cookie,” Keating said. “Aim for the sky, because even if you miss, you’ll be among the stars.”
More information and updates on HMWC can be found on their Instagram page, and new members are always welcome to join. The club meets every other Tuesday in the honors college from 3:00-4:00 p.m.
