Over the past few years, mental health has come to the forefront of public discussion, and with it, the mental health industry has grown to match. Northeastern recently decided to allow all of its students to access subscriptions to Headspace, an online platform meant to aid students with their mental health. For those who have not yet made an account, you can get a full membership for free here by using your NUID.
Headspace’s self declared mission is “to improve the health and happiness of the world.” It seeks to do so through online lessons in meditation, mindfulness, emotional management, and a host of other mind-cultivating methods.
When you open the app, Headspace lays out your schedule for the day. It starts you off with a morning routine, usually consisting of breathing exercises, meditation, and some words of advice, providing about ten minutes of content. For the afternoon, Headspace usually recommends a short pick-me-up, which can be anything from a motivational video to a selection of music. If this feels like an underwhelming selection, hop over to the meditation tab to find an impressive catalogue of the various courses Headspace offers — all included with your Northeastern membership. This is where the meat of the app lies. If you are struggling with any sort of stress, mental issue, or just need to relax, Headspace has something for you here: ‘Anxiety,’ ‘Sleep Health,’ and ‘Self-Esteem’ are just a few of the many courses they offer. There are a few other features, like a yoga and workout section, but the vast majority of Headspace’s content is in the earlier section.
Headspace does a lot right. Having never tried meditation before, I did not feel overwhelmed at all when using the app for the first time. The modules that I completed during my first couple days were simple and well-explained, but still built a solid meditational foundation. I got to expand on that base through their massive catalogue of courses, the flexibility and depth of which definitely make this service worth using for free.
However, if Northeastern did not provide free Headspace membership, I could never recommend it for the absurd $13 per month subscription fee that they charge. It’s impossible to miss the irony of a product claiming to be for “teaching meditation and mindfulness to as many people as possible” while hiding between a stupidly priced subscription model. But for Northeastern students who do not have to deal with the paywall, the only real issue with Headspace is its bad website user interface. On the app, the interface is clean and easy to use. There are tabs on the bottom for every section of the service, making navigation easy, but the website is another story. The homepage differs completely from the app, so good luck to anyone trying to find their daily schedule. Though both designed minimalist and with identical color schemes, the app looks leagues better than the site, which has way too much empty space. Barring a few minor issues, Headspace is a great addition to Northeastern’s digital catalogue, and anyone struggling with stress, focus, or other issues have a lot to gain by making an account.