Students on the Kent State Salem Campus will find ways to help them get through finals week, thanks to the English Club and its Stress-Free Zone.
Beginning Monday (Dec. 12) through Thursday (Dec. 15), Kent Salem students will be offered different ways to de-stress during daily sessions from 12-2 p.m. in the Student Lounge.
Earlier this semester, the English Club was named a winner of a Kent State of Wellness mini-grant that made it possible to create the Stress-Free Zone. The club was one of 14 winners (from more than 30 applicants) to be awarded the grant funds, and only one of four from the regional campuses.
The project’s full title is “Flash Away Your Worries! Stress-Free Zone.” The Kent State of Wellness steering committee awarded grants totaling more than $11,000 for projects designed to enhance the culture of health and wellness across the university.
“Our club chose a mental health workshop as its focus because we found that one of the primary ways we made friendships and built support systems with other students – in our own course of student and from other disciplines – was through the organic process of discussing issues and expressing empathy for one another in the public study areas or hallways of our campus building,” explained Aarika Denton, English Club vice president.
“We plan to use a section of our student lounge to offer snacks, helpful advice and brochures for anxiety and stress, games, pens and pencils, organizational tips and other activities to make finals week less intense and to give students a chance to take a break from their final exams and projects,” she continued.
Helping the students with some of the sessions is Kathrine Vance-Righetti, mental health counselor and wellness educator for the Kent State Columbiana County Campuses.
The daily schedule is:
Monday:
- Make a stress ball
- Massage
Tuesday:
- Healthy Snacks
- Inspiration: Planning and study tips
Wednesday:
- Aromatherapy
- Breathing techniques
Thursday:
- Cartoons
- Popcorn