Pitt Program Council looks to relieve finals week stress

Energy drinks. Junk food. No sleep. For many students, finals week is synonymous with… Energy drinks. Junk food. No sleep. For many students, finals week is synonymous with masochism.

As Pitt students prepare for this semester’s finals week, which begins next Monday, officials from Pitt’s Student Health Services said the level of pressure that many students feel they face increases as students worry about how their finals will affect their overall GPAs. Out of concern for what this increased stress level can do to students, the Pitt Program Council hosts Finals Survival week every semester.

The PPC planned activities that it hopes students will use to take their minds off test anxiety and help them relax. Most of the activities will take place on campus and are open to all students.

Senior Rachel Kasab, public relations director for PPC, said that while there is no limit, between 30 and 50 students attend most of the events.

The only event with an attendance limit is a Friday night ice-skating trip to the PPG arena Downtown, Kasab said. Because of busing constraints, only the 47 students who signed up ahead of time can attend.

Other events include a crafts night in the William Pitt Union ballroom on Sunday evening, a gingerbread decorating contest in the WPU lower lounge on Wednesday afternoon and “Be a Kid Night,” a late-night event lasting from 10 p.m. on Saturday until 1 a.m. on Sunday in the WPU ballroom.

“[Be a Kid Night] has got a lot of positive feedback already. A lot of students are really excited about it,” Kasab said.

It will include activities intended to remind students of their childhood. Eric Birzon, who directs PPC’s lecture committee, was the first to suggest “Be a Kid Night” to the leisure committee.

“It’s a great way for college students to relieve stress,” said Birzon, a senior majoring in accounting. “There’s not a better way to relieve stress than acting like a kid again.”

“Be a Kid Night” will include children’s games such as Bop-It and four square, along with Easy-Bake Ovens and a “make your own slime” table.

Marian Vanek, director of Pitt’s Student Health Services, said that stress can increase anxiety, make concentration difficult and cause anger and mood swings. The body and mind usually recover quickly from even acute stress and return to normal functions.

“However, in certain circumstances, when stress becomes chronic and the person has difficulty coping, the body doesn’t have a chance to recover; this can lead to more serious effects,” Vanek said in an email.

These effects include gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea, constipation and complications for existing GI conditions. Chronic stress can also weaken the immune system and lead to frequent colds.

Prolonged stress takes a heavy emotional toll on sufferers. It can lead to depression and insomnia and can have a negative effect on a student’s relationships, according to Vanek. She went on to note that all of these health conditions can lead to even more stress for the sufferer.

To combat these effects, she suggests physical activity. Exercise reduces stress hormones in the blood stream, and for students, regular exercise can increase academic performance by improving circulation to the brain and improving brain activity.

Pitt also offers the “Stress-Free Zone” on the ground floor of the William Pitt Union, which offers classes on yoga and stress-reducing techniques.

Vanek also said sleeping at least seven or eight hours a night is essential to a person’s health and academic performance, while consuming processed foods and energy drinks may increase stress levels.

She emphasized that a key component of stress reduction is for students to close the books and take breaks.

“Have some fun,” Vanek said. “Take a break from studying and socialize with your friends.”

Pitt Program Council hopes that Finals Survival week will provide a chance for many students to do just that.

“[Finals Survival Week] is not for everyone. People deal with stress in different ways, but it’s for students who want to come in and take their minds off school for an hour or two,” Kasab said.

Monday, Dec. 5

Art All Night

Towers Lobby, 6-8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 6

Fitness-palooza!

WPU Ballroom, 3-6 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 7

Gingerbread Decorating Contest

WPU Lower Lounge, 7-10 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 8

Bowling

Pittsburgh Athletic Association, 10 p.m.-1 a.m.

Friday, Dec. 9

Ice Skating (Full)

PPG Arena, 10 p.m.-1 a.m.

Saturday, Dec. 10

Be A Kid Night

WPU Ballroom, 10 p.m. – 1 a.m.

Sunday, Dec. 11

Pitt Program Council Art All Night

Sutherland Lobby, 6-8:30 p.m.