With finals around the corner, so is the overwhelming amount of projects, papers and exams. This year Student Senate held “De-stress the Test, Everything in One” located in the Bridge Lounge in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union Tuesday night to help combat the stress of finals.

The event served candy canes, hot chocolate, coffee, board games, macaroni art, coloring pages and to-go puzzles. 

Senator Seth Yeakel, junior double major in mathematics and accounting, helped to assemble and lead the process of setting it up before the event.

“To prepare for this we had to go through research about what relaxes people,” Yeakel said. “We also thought about what we did last year.”  

Yeakel said there were some challenges that came with getting ready for the event.

The timing for the event was tricky, since the senate only had one week after break to do the event marketing, he said.

Once the student government printed the flyers, they spent an hour going around campus posting them.

Last spring the University Board ran the event; students made their own stress balls, Zen gardens and putty. 

“We had a lot of glue from last year, and I am very excited about doing the macaroni art this year,” Yeakel said.

With the research and past experience, Yeakel advises that students try to do something that reminds them of the bliss of childhood. He suggests doing arts, crafts and just getting distracted for a while.

Keerthana Saraswathula, a senior majoring in digital media, said this event was beneficial.

“A lot of students have finals and this is a good time to relax and play games,” Sarawathula said.

Saraswathula said she believes the most stressful thing about finals is finding time, and she advises students to plan what they are doing and not get distracted too much. 

Before finals Saraswathula listens to music, takes a walk, does fun projects and crafts in order to relax. 

According to Times Higher Education, there are 10 quick ways to help eliminate exam stress:

1. Do something or watch something that makes you laugh. Watch a film, TV show or listen to a comedian.

2. Drinking herbal tea or hot chocolate can help soothe the soul.

3. Taking a bath or shower can help to relieve stress.

4. Baking or cooking something healthy and delicious. Helping your body helps focus.

5. Get lots of sleep. With a lot going on it is important for a good night’s sleep.

6. Keep things in perspective. The exams are important but you and your mental health or more important.

7. Avoid other stressed people. They will do nothing for stress levels.

8. Avoid the exam post-mortem. Focus on yourself and not others. 

9. Be flexible, and do not let the stress get in the way of your goals.

10. Write everything important down and mark it off once the job is done. 

Student Body President Carson Gordon said she feels the event was a good way to wrap up the semester of student senate events that promoted mental health, a goal Gordon has for her presidency.

“A really crucial aspect of preserving mental health is taking time to relax and to relieve stress,” Gordon said.“This event provides students with the perfect opportunity to do just that.”

Rylee DeLong can be reached at 581-2812 or at dennewsdesk@gmail.com.