Students combat exam stress with activities across campus

As the semester comes to a close, many students find their weeks occupied by project deadlines, late nights at the library and dreaded exam dates.

While these last few days of the semester can feel overwhelming, UNC students have still made room to relax between study sessions and classes.

Sophomores Catherine Luarte and Presley Cerrillo sat outside last Friday, laying on a blanket and studying chemistry. They said they’re making plans to go strawberry picking off campus to relax. 

Cerillo  said attending church and getting closer to her faith is something she’s tried to do this exam season. She also said cooking helps her destress.

For first-years Naomi Altonji and Abby Isenhour, who also sat outside last Friday, de-stressing is as simple as sitting in the fresh air and meeting with friends.

“If I isolate all day, it's just not sustainable for me,” Altonji said.

Isenhour and Altonji also said they enjoy visiting with Hugs & Pups, a non-profit organization that offers free hugs and dogs for students to pet.

The organization, which began at UNC in 2021, has volunteers — one being a dog — stroll around campus four times a week. They can typically be found standing near Wilson Library with a crowd of students around them.

Heidi Jo Hetland, a member of the Hugs & Pups leadership team, said she enjoys talking to students and seeing them connect with others by petting the dogs.

She also said that the volunteers try to check in on students’ well-being — especially those who have been struggling — and ensure they have other people to support them.

“Hopefully, what we're doing is lasting more than that brief interaction that they're having with us,” she said.

In addition to visiting campus more during finals week, Hugs & Pups will also be hosting a mindfulness event on May 5 in the Olde Campus Lower Quad, which will teach students ways to ground themselves as they enter exam week.

UNC Libraries is also hosting a variety of relaxing events for their Week of Balance program starting on the last day of class. Activities like puzzles, friendship bracelet making and beyond will be dispersed throughout the libraries. They are also partnering with Paws for a Cause at Carolina to bring therapy dogs to Davis Library and Wilson Library throughout the week.

Davis will also have two miniature horses in the garden behind the library on May 2. The event is in partnership with Edible Campus and the nonprofit Stampede of Love.

Karina Soni, UNC Libraries’ outreach projects librarian, said these Week of Balance events are meant to help students take breaks during a very busy time of the year.

“We all know how hard it is to be a student right now, and especially during the finals season,” she said. “So, we just want to make sure that students feel cared for and supported throughout the libraries.”

Student organizations have also been hosting events in the weeks leading up to finals that students can attend to alleviate stress, such as film screenings, plant giveaways and music concerts.

First-year Ruchika Desai said she attended jazz performances and plays, including the PlayMakers Repertory Company production of “The Game.”

She also recommended students who are feeling stressed to realize that doing poorly on an exam is not the end of the world.

“I feel like if you’re less stressed and you’re just going easy on yourself, you’ll do better and you’ll study more,” she said.

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