We college students have different opinions. However, I think college students agree on at least one thing: finals are awful. Some people like me handle the stress pretty decently but the majority of my classmates are tripling their caffeine intake, staying up all night to study, studying instead of doing normal stuff like surfing the Web or hanging with friends, or perhaps (I hope not) obtaining Ritalin for a boost.
My school, Kean University, has a couple cute ideas to help ease the stress. Kean brought in therapy dogs for students to pet and play and provided free massages. The puppy therapy was held in the past and I attended it and it did make me feel less serious. Who can be serious when there are cute dogs in a college room?
Kean is not the only university to get creative when it comes to finals stress. Colleges all over America have proposed and/or done ingenious, adorable things to help their students make it out alive and in one piece. Dozens of other colleges have introduced dog therapy. Others have more...whimsical ideas.
1. The University of Mary Washington in Virginia offered a study break where students could chill in the school pool while watching Pirates of the Caribbean.
2. Northwestern University in Illinois has gone all out with free late-night breakfasts, free coffee and tea at midnight, massages, and, believe it or not, miniature horses! Instead of petting puppies, students get to pet mini horses.
3. Wichita State University has a wall of bubble wrap that students can pop to release stress. As if releasing frustration through popping a wall of bubble wrap isn't cool enough, the school also offers a paintball extravaganza and making your own snowglobe.
4. Among other things, the University of Nebraska Omaha has a sensory stimulating room where students can listen to calming sounds, float in a sea of balloons, and meditate while popping bubble wrap. This really cool sensory experience is called the balloon ball pit.
5. Florida State University has a Harry-Potter themed calendar of events for students. They can play games including wizard's chess and Quidditch ring toss, make wands out of pretzels and build Hogwarts out of Legos. It's personally right up my alley.
6. Shoreline Community College in * has some pretty wacky ideas of its own, including building a marshmallow spaghetti tower. It also has simpler, less crazy ideas like painting a pet rock (when's the last time anybody did that?), making a vision board, playing video games, making jewelry, making your own bath products, yoga, and making things called stress socks.
I listed what I personally found to be the most interesting. Most of these events have already passed. However, wouldn't it be nice if other, if not all schools, did similar things and exchanged ideas? I would melt like Olaf if there was a Harry Potter day at Kean.
Some ideas that seem to be general among different schools is making your own stuffed animals, coloring books, massages, animal therapy (not necessarily canine), free snacks and/or coffee or tea, and DIY things.
I wonder what my school will generate in the future. Hopefully something creative and enjoyable, enough to take your mind off finals for at least a few minutes or hours.
