De-stress events across campus offer students a break from studying

Finals season is upon us, and it can be difficult to find time to prioritize physical and mental health while studying. Departments across campus are holding events through the week of April 21 to help students destress. 

The Campus Recreation Center, the Student Success Hub and the University Counseling Center are holding events to help students take meaningful breaks between studying and finals. Sarah Sleva, director of outdoor and adventure pursuits with Campus Recreation, highlighted that the rec center will be hosting week-long fitness classes and outdoor programs.

“The program has expanded from being one or two days to a full week of events,” Sleva said. “This way students can really take the time away from studying and focus on their self care and wellness.”

Sleva said that there will be “a few focused fitness classes” such as Zumba, pilates and yoga during finals week, and that the rec center focuses on “the most populated classes throughout the semester.” 

“Each event has limited availability,” Sleva said. “For example, cycling is based on the number of bikes we have and so forth … Turnout is really good because I feel like students do prioritize themselves during this week.” 

To get students outdoors, the rec center is hosting a grounding meditation at Schenley Plaza, a flower pot decorating event and a kickball series. The last event the rec center is hosting is on April 23 in collaboration with Pitt Program Council.

“We’re doing a program called ‘relax and rage’ on the Cathedral lawn,” Sleva said. “We’re hosting three different yoga sessions, and there will also be a rage room to get out your frustrations.” 

Sleva said that she “hopes students take the time to step away from studying to focus on their wellness journey.”

“I was once a college student, and I did not prioritize my self-care regimen,” Sleva said. “And now, as I’ve gotten older, I really have, and it really does help you to refocus, reset your goals and clear your mind. Prioritize taking that 30 minutes to an hour a day, and just focusing on you and your health.”

The Student Success Hub in Langley Hall is also hosting events across campus to help students connect and relax. Brian Williams, associate director for Student Success Scholars Programs, said that while planning, the hub “thought about what would help take student’s minds off of the stress of finals.”

“We have a week of events planned,” Williams said. “On Tuesday we’ll have an ice cream bar, on Wednesday, we’re bringing in a therapy dog, on Thursday, we’ll have a crafting event, and on Friday we’re doing a crunchy snack bar.” 

The Hub has student workers, called peer success guides, who help the team brainstorm events. 

“We always love to have student input in everything we do, so these undergraduate students provide us input into our services and events,” April Belback, associate vice provost for Student Success and Advising, said. 

Williams said that the hub has been hosting events during finals week for three semesters, and that they have “a pretty good turnout.” 

“We typically see 40-60 students per event,” Williams said. “Our therapy dog is our most popular event, but food always brings students together too.” 

The hub, located in Langley Hall room 217, is a study space, but Belback said that it’s also “a connection space.” 

“It is a place for academic resources, in all forms, and it’s welcome to all students. Students can hang out, have a snack, and seek academic coaching and advice,” Belback said. 

Williams encouraged all students to “use their resources” and noted that the hub wants to help students succeed. 

“Finals are a very stressful time,” Williams said. “For a couple of hours, we want students to grab a snack or do a craft to relax and reset. We’re trying to spread the word around campus because this is a place for everyone.” 

To help students manage the stress of finals, the Counseling Center is also hosting two events called the Campus Tree Trek and the Mindful Photography Workshop. Tara Taheri, coordinator of strategic programs at the University Counseling Center, said that the goal is to “help students manage stress during this busy time.” 

“The Campus Tree Trek is a one-mile route featuring 17 trees, each accompanied by educational signs and reflection questions that promote learning about campus trees and personal growth,” Taheri said. “The Mindful Photography Workshop focuses on deepening connection to the present moment through hands-on experience that combines wellbeing and intentional creativity.”

The Counseling Center hosts similar programs throughout the year, but Taheri said they want “students to discover new ways of managing academic stress.”

“After a long winter, reconnecting with nature can be both relaxing and stress reducing, so we wanted to provide creative ways for students to experience that form of connection,” Taheri said. 

The University hosts other events throughout the semester, like Therapy Dog Tuesday in the Cathedral. Peyton Rodgers, a first-year biochemistry major, went last Tuesday to help take her mind off the end of the semester stress. 

“My only final this semester is in chemistry,” Rodgers said. “It’s a lot of work to study for, but I’ll get through it.” 

Rogers said that Therapy Dog Tuesday is “fun” and that she would like to go more often. 

“I don’t come as often as I should since I have a lab on Tuesdays, but I really enjoy getting to see the dogs and relax,” Rodgers said. 

Miranda Gehm, a first-year communications major, is similarly trying to manage her stress as the semester ends. 

“I don’t have any finals during finals week,” Gehm said. “I have finals projects and some exams during the last week of classes. For me, I’m busier right now than I will be in a few weeks.”

Gehm is trying to “get ahead on work” to keep her stress at a minimum. 

“It helps me to not do too much at once and to take breaks,” Gehm said. “When I’m not doing school work, I like to hang out with friends and scroll on Pinterest. It helps me relax and it’s important to do things for myself right now other than schoolwork.”