A conversation can change a life. Community plays a vital role in supporting each other through conversation and connection.
Dunmore Lang College was filled with yellow ribbons, sweet treats, slime and meaningful conversations as students and staff came together to recognise R U OK? Day. This event reinforced the importance of looking out for one another in our community.
R U OK? Day is a national day of action dedicated to encouraging Australians to check in with the people around them. It is also a time to start meaningful conversations about mental health and wellbeing. The initiative reminds us that a simple question, “Are you OK?”, can make a real difference in someone’s life. We don’t need to be experts to show someone we care.
For students navigating higher education, this message is particularly important. Between academic pressures, balancing commitments, living away from home and adjusting to university life, it can sometimes be easy to feel overwhelmed or disconnected. At Dunmore Lang College, we recognise the importance of creating a supportive community where students feel comfortable reaching out. Furthermore, we want students to feel comfortable checking in with their mates and knowing they don’t have to face challenges alone.
Wearing Yellow Can Start a Conversation
Throughout the day, students and staff proudly wore yellow ribbons in their hair, around their wrists and on their clothing as a visible symbol of their commitment to prioritising mental health. This also showed their dedication to supporting one another.
Our wonderful kitchen team also joined in, preparing delicious yellow cupcakes for students to enjoy. These sweet treats served as a bright and cheerful reminder of the day’s message. In addition, they helped to spark conversations and spread a little extra positivity throughout the College.
Getting Together and Getting Messy
One of the highlights of the day was a slime-making night organised by our Charity Committee. This event was designed to encourage students to step away from their studies. It also gave them a chance to get out of their rooms and spend some quality time together.
The response was incredible, with more than 30 students turning up to take part! In fact, the event was so popular that supplies ran out within the first five minutes. But in true Dunmore Lang spirit, students didn’t let a shortage of materials stop the fun. Instead, they put their heads together, got creative and worked as a team to find alternative ways to make homemade slime.
What started as a simple social activity quickly became a fantastic example of the very values R U OK? Day promotes: connection, collaboration, resilience and looking out for one another. There was plenty of laughter and a little bit of chaos. Most importantly, students had an opportunity to connect in a relaxed and welcoming environment. We also wanted students to know who they could turn to internally if they are not feeling OK.
Smiles all around for slime!
Getting stuck in to slime and conversations!
A Community That Cares
Throughout the day, our student leaders shared helpful information and practical resources through the College’s Facebook group chat and during the slime night. These resources focused on how to start conversations that might feel uncomfortable. They also explained how to recognise when a mate may be struggling and how to check in with someone in a genuine and supportive way.
By sharing these tools, our student leaders helped reinforce that supporting someone’s mental health doesn’t always require having the perfect words or knowing all the answers. Sometimes, simply noticing a change, asking a question and taking the time to listen can be enough to help someone feel seen and supported.
At Dunmore Lang College, we know that a strong residential community is built on more than shared spaces and experiences. It’s built on genuine connections, kindness and a willingness to support one another through both the good days and the challenging ones.
R U OK? Day was a wonderful reminder of the power of those everyday connections. These might include sharing a cupcake, making slime with friends, checking in on a neighbour or taking a moment to ask someone how they’re really going.
A huge thank you to our Charity Committee, student leaders, kitchen team and everyone who participated in making the day such a meaningful and memorable occasion.
Because at Dunmore Lang College, looking out for one another isn’t just something we do on R U OK? Day. It’s part of who we are.
And remember, you don’t have to wait for a special day to ask someone, “R U OK?”
