Courtesy of the Good Life Center
One year since the Good Life Center expanded from its original Silliman College location into the Schwarzman Center, students and staff say the new space has been a success.
The Good Life Center was founded in 2018 as a way to expand wellness resources on campus. On Oct. 25, 2022, the program opened its second site located on the second floor of the Schwarzman Center.
“Since opening our new location at the Schwarzman Center, we have seen substantial growth and increased attendance in students’ usage of our spaces and attendance in our programs,” said Corinne Coia, community wellness specialist at the Yale College Community Care program.
In the new hub, students can rest in the Nap Room or relax in the technology-free Green Room, which is filled with plants and natural objects. Moreover, students can socialize or work in several other rooms at the Center, play board games or create an entry in the Community Gratitude Journal.
Coia is serving as the Center’s interim director while psychology professor and head of Silliman College Laurie Santos, the founder of the Good Life Center, is on leave. Coia plans to strengthen the partnership between the Center and Yale College Community Care to further centralize the University’s well-being resources and offer more wellness programming to the community.
“This year we are running evidence-based workshops around stress management, sleep, mindfulness, body image, yoga and many more,” Coia wrote to the News. “We are also creating opportunities for our students to join the community in more casual programming such as our ‘Take it Easy Tuesday’ and ‘Wellness Wednesday’ events.”
Coia said that the Center will also host open house events for different population groups, such as graduate and professional students, to familiarize more people with the Center’s locations.
Ijeamaka Achebe ’25 is a frequent visitor to the Good Life Center in the Schwarzman Center and said that she had never been to the original Silliman College location.
“[Taking a nap in the Good Life Center] is great. They give you sleep masks, and no electronic devices are allowed,” Achebe said. “Nothing distracts you.”
Some of Yale’s newest students have already taken advantage of the Good Life Center’s spaces. Frank Lin ’26 took two naps in the Center’s Schwarzman location since the beginning of the semester. After Lin wakes up from his naps, he usually uses the Center as a place to study as well.
“I would prefer curtains [in the Nap room]. They don’t have curtains,” Lin said. “But it is pretty cozy.”
Samuel Chen ’26 discovered the Good Life Center in July when he arrived early to campus and has used the space to both study and take naps. Chen told the News that having more tables in rooms would be nice, but he nonetheless considers the Good Life Center his favorite spot on the campus.
Good Life Center locations are open to students throughout the week, and well-being workshops are offered weekly.