By Jen Richardson
Bangor, ME – The semester is winding down and the weather is getting nicer. Summer is fast approaching, and while most students rejoice at the thought of three months of freedom, there’s something still in their way. Finals week. Arguably the most stressful week of each semester, students can be found in their rooms, the library, and the campus center studying to test their knowledge and memory of everything they have learned this semester.
As a way to combat this stressful time, Husson University’s Counseling Center hosts what they call the “Zen Den” in Commons 214 the week before finals. Counsellor Colleen Owens sees how stressed students become so they want to do everything they can to help.
“We typically have water, tea, hot cocoa, a zen rock garden, music, candles, and adult coloring pages or some other calming activity to do. We bring in some different chairs, pillows and blankets.“
There will even be students from the Therapeutic Bodywork Learning Center (TBLC) in Brewer providing free massages, unfortunately all of those slots have already been booked.
Senior NESCom student Troy Cantalupo hasn’t had the chance to take advantage of the zen den before, but wants to this semester.
“The last two weeks of school are so intense, especially since I’m graduating this year. It’s a great idea to have a quiet place to go to just relax or study. I hope people learn about this and utilize it, because so many people struggle to find time for themselves at such a stressful time.”
Owens says the last two years they have made and handed out care packages for students that include fun and stress reducing items and activities. These are handed out throughout the entire campus, they typically hand out almost three hundred packages.
Junior finance major Jennifer Armstrong recalls visiting the Zen Den last year.
“It was great to have a quiet place to go, drink some coffee and refocus. I tend to get really stressed out close to finals, and studying in the campus center is really tough.”
For those students feeling like they need more help with stress or anxiety, the counsellors all have walk-in hours for private appointments.
