Spring has finally arrived and consequently so has finals season. While you may be feeling stressed with quickly approaching deadlines and exams have no fear De-Stress Fest is here. De-Stress Fest is a week-long event starting on April 29 and ending on May 4. There are plenty of events that will be going on this week meant to give all of you Vandals a chance to relax and unwind the week before finals.As you may have already seen, some of the activities that are open for you to participate in include free yoga classes, therapy dogs, massages, health related resources and free snacks.
Savanha Rodriguez | Vandal Health Educator
While the week is about over there are still fun events left for you to attend. For starters on Thursday May 2nd there will be yoga classes and chair massages on campus. Friday will consist of a De-Stress at the Mill event alongside with a play at Hartung Theater. To conclude a fun-filled week Finals Fest will be hosted at the Kibbie Dome on Saturday May 4 at 6 pm. For a complete list of events and times of De-Stress Fest events just visit uidaho.edu/de-stress.
If making it to an event doesn’t fit with your schedule there are a few things you can do at home to help you manage your stress. First off identify your sources of stress. If a particular assignment or studying for a certain exam is your source of stress take a break. You can go out and take a walk, practice breathing exercises, grab a healthy snack, engage in meditation, or simply make it a priority to take a break and engage in social connection with your friends. We also have a location on campus whose purpose is to help you de-stress. It’s called the Well Space, and it is located in the SRC. Be sure to drop by and take advantage of our comfy couch, and various de-stress activities such as puzzles, kinetic sand, coloring and board games. Or if you just want a quiet place to study you’re more than welcome to stop by to do that too.
It is well known that constant stress can have real effects on your body, so it is important to take care of yourself. It is so easy to get consumed in your studies that you forget to take the time to eat a healthy meal. Therefore, make sure you are taking care of yourself by drinking your water, consuming healthy brain food such as walnuts, blueberries, and broccoli, and ensuring that you are getting an adequate amount of sleep, seven to nine hours to be exact.
While it may be difficult to not get overwhelmed remember that you are Vandals and you have the capability to finish the semester strong. If you are feeling overwhelmed, you can also contact the afterhours counseling crisis hotline at (208) 885-6716. Best of luck on finals next week, and I hope you all enjoy De-Stress Fest this week!