Students enjoy one of the many relaxing activities De-Stress Fest. has to offer on Wednesday afternoon. The Off-Campus Student Services, a co-sponsor of the event with Wellness and Prevention Services, also hosts Commuter Coffee Wednesdays in the Student Union, Room 315. (Josh Stanavage/The Daily Campus)
Off-Campus Student Services (OCSS) and Wellness and Prevention Services ironically began prepping for the dreaded exam week earlier than most students have likely begun studying for their finals with a De-Stress Fest on Wednesday. The small-scale but helpful event was held on the first floor of the Student Union.
The event included a spa wheel and a giveaway table where students could win prizes, coloring pages, an aromatherapy station and free comfort foods. The small items that students could take with them, such as reheatable compresses, stress balls and glitter jars among others, were all designed to help users relax and re-center.
As finals week creeps closer, mental health awareness becomes all the more important. Just as Coach Auriemma wouldn’t expect Katie Lou Samuelson to play on an injured ankle, you can’t perform well on a test if you aren’t taking care of your mental health.
This thinking motivated these organizations to put on the De-Stress Fest, explained Elizabeth Bovell, seventh-semester political science and sociology major and Off Campus Student Leader for OCSS.
“De-Stress Fest, by idea, was to create a place where people could come back to break and still feel de-stressed and prepare for finals that are upcoming,” Bovell said.
Many students, including myself, have likely both noticed and been told that negative stress also impedes academic performance. Wellness and Prevention Services and OCSS realized this impact and created an event to combat it on a small scale.
“School just takes a really heavy toll on everybody’s lives,” Bovell said. “Sometimes it’s difficult to deal with all of the things that you have like your family, school and friends so it’s good to know that it’s not impossible to relax.”
Other events OCSS offers for the rest of the semester are graciously all food related. There are two opportunities for a free cup of coffee on Dec. 6th and 1th1 at their Commuter Coffee Wednesdays as well as their annual pasta dinner and food drive also on Dec. 11.
Additionally, Wellness and Prevention Services offers a spa wheel from Dec. 4th until Dec. 8th, the last Time Out Tuesday of the semester on Dec. 5th and the last pet therapy of the semester on Dec. 6th.
If you find yourself wondering if you should start studying small amounts now rather than save it for the night before the exam, just tell yourself: if Geno wouldn’t put me through this, then neither should you.
Alex Taylor is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. She can be reached via email at alexis.taylor@uconn.edu.
