Welcome
to the Stress Free Zone
It happens every year at this time. Classrooms become exam
spaces, student traffic thins out on campus and the Campus
Center turns into a massive study hall.
Except for in Campus Center
room 102. That’s the Stress
Free Zone.
Students take a break
from studying with snacks from the Campus Center
Courtesy Cart. |
It’s not that people
with stress are not allowed to enter (that would kill business
during exam period). Rather, it means that room 102 is
set aside as a sanctuary from stress. From December 12
through 19 this year, room 102 is restricted 24 hours a
day to relaxing and leaving the pressure of exams at the
door.
“Students are not allowed to study in it,” says
Patrick Connelly, assistant director of student activities
at the Campus Center, of the Stress Free Zone. “Instead,
it is set up as a space to take a break. It’s a great
opportunity for students to take a minute out of their end-of-the-semester
push and relax and recharge.”
Tables in the room offer crayons, puzzles and games, all
to provide temporary distraction from studies. Snacks, such
as coffee, hot chocolate and granola bars are there free
for the taking.
Also, as part of the exam period Stress Free Zone, on Monday,
Dec. 15, the Campus Center invites musician Sarah Donner
to give a performance at 9 p.m. in the Carroll Room. And
on Tuesday, Dec. 16, free 15-minute massages are offered
in the atrium.
The Stress Free Zone is
an important escape for students, says Connelly, because
the rest of the Campus Center becomes “one
big study space. It’s not uncommon to see students
camped out for days at a time getting work done. Students
have their own favorite places to study in the building,
the café, Goldstein Lounge, meeting rooms.”
To accommodate that, the Campus Center staff set up the
Carroll Room with tables for studying and group work, says
Connelly.
And every night in the
small hours during the reading period and final exams,
the Campus Center sends a “courtesy
cart” around the building stocked with fresh fruit,
snacks and cookies, as well as pencils and highlighters.
“Our staff walks through the building encouraging
students to take a quick break, stretch and have a snack,” says
Connelly. “We encourage students to take care of themselves
and each other during the stress of exams.”
And whenever the pressure
gets to be too much, there’s
the Stress Free Zone—leave your troubles outside.
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