You see colorful chalk drawings all over the Quad. You keep hearing people talk about puppies in the health center. Music is blasting from different places. All of these occurrences are weird, but then you remember it is Stress Less Week.
Twice a year – once in the fall semester and another in the spring – the peer advisors host Stress Less Week. The week features daily activities that each involve different leadership groups on campus in addition to the PAs.
This year’s line up was:
Monday: Chalk and bubbles @ The Quad
Tuesday: Cereal Bar @ Crossroads
Wednesday: Puppies @ Health Center Classroom
Thursday: Musical Chairs @ Copeland Donahue
Thursday Night: Holiday Party @ Health Center
Friday: Just Dance @ Fawcett Library
The peer advisors worked tirelessly to plan the engaging week.
Jacob Weigand (‘20), co-head peer advisor, said, “The goal of the week is to provide a time where students can relax and be less stressed as the name suggests. We try to place it in the weeks that are more stressful so these ones leading up to break are always full of work. We have more events this year, so there are more ways to stress less.”
Drawing chalk with student government and playing Just Dance with the honor cabinet were some of this week’s favorite events. Having a variety of events ensured that everyone had something that could help them be less stressed.
Hank Sun (‘22) said, “The chalk and bubbles were my favorite part and in the moment, I was less stressed and did not have to think of all the work I needed to do.”
Some students felt that Stress Less Week does not take away stress but only provides a distraction.
Kennedy Becher (‘21) said, “On Monday, I helped draw with chalk which was fun, I guess, but I am still stressed. If the school could actually help us with our stress instead of just giving activities to waste our time that would be more beneficial, but the school is trying their best.”
While some students feel that Stress Less Week does not alleviate their stress, the events were still filled with participants.
The puppies were the most crowded and popular of all the events. Due to the rain that afternoon, the puppies were relocated from Chandler Field to the Health Center. Students waited throughout lunch just to play and pet the energetic pups.
Jacob said, “We have had some good events but puppies are always a favorite. It was raining so we made a space in the health center and the puppies were tiny so they were okay with the room.”
Even though the puppies are a tradition and the hallmark of the week, some people would like to see variation.
Imani Carter (‘23) said, “If you are going to bring puppies, can you make sure they are not so young? They were fighting and they didn’t want to be pet, so can they bring older dogs, and also kittens? I would love more than just dogs.”
Stress Less Week created opportunities for Webbies to have some fun and not worry about all of their work – at least for a little bit. The next Stress Less Week will be in the second semester.