While many brush off mindfulness as another trend, science proves it can make a real difference.
By: Sahara Ahmed
As mental health struggles rise among college students, many are turning to mindfulness for support. With a 4.5-star rating from over 47,000 reviews on the App Store, Zinnia offers a digital alternative to traditional pen-and-paper journaling/planning, and is now extending CSI students a free one-year subscription.
“Many students may have a predisposition towards journaling and think ‘I already thought those things so I don’t need the action of putting it on paper’,” said Debbie Ali, the College Program Coordinator at Pixite, the creative app team behind Zinnia. “And then when they try it out, they realize it’s different.”
Zinnia is a creative digital planning and journaling app that offers a wide range of academic planners, habit trackers, calendar layouts and themed journals. The app also includes health and wellness resources, such as art tracing exercises, healing prompts, and mindfulness activities.
According to a 2021-2022 Healthy Minds survey of students across 133 college campuses, 44% of college students have experienced symptoms of depression and 37% reported having anxiety disorders – the highest recorded rates in the history of the 15-year-old study. Journaling has been proven to improve one’s ability to process information, reduce stress, build confidence, and foster self-reflection and insights that lead to personal growth.
“Mindfulness is the purposeful act of creating time and space for yourself to reduce the panic around you,” said Ali. “And practicing those repeated acts when you’re not in panic mode will help you remember you have these tools to help you when you’re in a state of stress.”
While many college campuses provide some forms of mental health services, staff and resources are often stretched thin, leaving students to navigate daily issues and struggles on their own. According to the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD) Annual Survey, counseling centers reported a nearly 90% increase in students seeking services in 2019, prior to COVID-19 pandemic which exacerbated demand.
Ali believes that Zinnia can serve as an essential tool for mental wellness by providing a safe space for students to process their emotions and build healthier habits. In addition to journaling, planning has been shown to help students feel more accomplished and productive by providing space in the day for them to express themselves and feel less overwhelmed.
Zinnia currently has over 30 members in the college ambassador program. It’s structured as an independent internship that benefits students’ academic and career growth through professional development opportunities, workshops, and resume building. Students can explore their interests with content creation, design, and marketing in a way that supports rather than competes with their studies.
Ali believes that the best aspect of the Zinnia experience is its flexibility. As the college ambassador program is catered to build the skills related to what students are interested in, the app itself has various customization options that allow users to design their own journal and planner. The app has pre-made templates developed by artists, but also includes the option for users to create their own designs by using adjustable drawing tools, lettering packs, washi tape, and stickers.
“You can have a blank canvas and create whatever you want from scratch or you can use pre-populated things if you’re in a rush or need a quick to-do list,” said Ali. “You have the flexibility to be as creative or not creative as you want.”
~
As a thank you to CSI, the Pixite team would like to offer a YEAR free to Zinnia. Follow the steps below to redeem!
How to Redeem Your Free Year of Zinnia
- Open the App Store on any iOS/Apple device
- Tap your profile icon in the top right
- Scroll down and tap “Redeem Gift Card or Code”
- Enter this code: STUDENTZINNIAYEARLY
- Download Zinnia and start planning!
