Students can prepare for finals by getting a massage and aromatherapy on Thursday.

The University Board will offer a stress buster rush hour event to give students a break before the week of finals.

Graham Sauser, the special events coordinator for the UB, said this time for year is stressful for students who are finishing projects and studying for finals. He said it is important for students to take a break from these tasks to relax.

“It’s important to take a break for a lot of different reason,” Sauser said. “Stress affects students mental health, their physical health. It takes a toll on you, mentally, emotionally and physically.”

Sauser said during finals week, some students eat more, some stop going to the gym to study for finals, and the constant stress is not good for the students.

“It’s important, especially during finals week, to take a moment, step back, relax and go ‘It’s OK, it’s not the end of the world,'” Sauser said. “They’ll be able to get the time they need to relax.”

Sauser said two massage therapists will be giving massages during the stress buster. Each student will be able to receive a three-to-five minute massage.

Sauser said if students are having a problem with their body, they can let the massage therapist know, and they will work on the area.

“If you are having a pain in your lower back or a kink in your neck, they’ll work on that,” Sauser said. “If they do have a request, they will help with it.”

Those who attend the stress buster will also be able to do aromatherapy while they get their massage.

“You’ll get to pick your scent before you start your massage and you’ll get to smell that while you get you back massaged,” Sauser said. “It’s another relaxation thing.”

Sauser said the massage and aromatherapy is something most students do not get to experience.

“It’s something different that students don’t have the opportunity to go and get done,” Sauser said. “We do have massage chairs, but the difference between those and a real massage are night and day. It’s a really relaxing thing, especially paired with the aromatherapy.”

Students will also get the chance to make stress balls to take home to use while they study for their finals.

Sauser said using a stress ball helps relieve stress and is another good way to help with finals.

“They (stress balls) are something to play with while studying,” Sauser said. “For some people, being active helps them to relieve stress.”

He said pamphlets will also be available to help students learn how to relieve and manage stress during events such as finals.

The stress buster will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Bridge Lounge of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Sauser said the event is a great way to take a break before finals week.

“We hope to see as many students as we can,” Sauser said. “We want them to be less stressed for finals.”

Samantha McDaniel can

be reached at 581-2812

or slmcdaniel@eiu.edu.