After her daughter had a hard time adjusting to college life at the University, Zorica Morton decided to move from Chicago to Urbana and open the Campus Massage Center, 410 E. Green Street in Champaign, to be closer to her daughter on campus.

“My daughter said students at U of I were desperate for massages; students were under stress,” Morton said.

Massage therapy is Morton’s second profession; she has been certified for five years. Morton has experience regarding several types of massages, including relaxation, deep-tissue, sports massage, pregnancy and energy.

Morton’s daughter thought a massage place would be perfect on campus because it takes some students at Illinois a while to adjust to college life and massages can relieve some stress. After almost two successful years of giving massages on campus, Morton said her daughter was right.

“A massage does help,” Morton said. “It calms you down. A compassionate touch helps overcome anxiety in an adult’s life.”

Massages at the center cost students $20 for a half-hour massage and $40 for a one-hour massage. Those who are not students pay $25 for a half-hour and $50 for the hour, said Sara Shafer, an employee of the massage center.

“A lot of people have never experienced a massage before,” Morton said. “They’re not sure (what to get). They come with an open mind.”

Morton usually introduces the Swedish massage to new customers.

Sometimes, customers seek massages to alleviate pain in different parts of the body. Morton can guarantee that many people come in with lower back pain resulting from sitting at a computer for an extended period or carrying heavy backpacks.

Heidi Fromm, junior in LAS, received a half-hour massage from the Campus Massage Center because of back problems.

“I really couldn’t walk,” Fromm said. “It helped. I felt better.”

People also seek Morton for help with emotional problems.

“There’s a lot of emotional situations like depression and anxiety,” Morton said. “It’s a grounding feeling for them.”

Athletes also come into the Campus Massage Center and Morton has helped people who train for marathons or those with sports-related injuries. She sees athletes from different sports come in individually for massages, not as a team.

The most popular time for massages is during exam weeks. Morton has given many massages over the past few weeks because of midterms. Valentine’s Day is usually the busiest holiday for the Campus Massage Center; some people schedule massages a month ahead. Morton said massages are a great form of giving gifts.

“Valentine’s Day is a symbol of love,” Morton said. “Boyfriends come in and say ‘I don’t know how to give massages, so I can buy her one.'”

Morton said massages can be gifts between parents and students also.

“Some parents say ‘I’m going to come visit my child more often because of you,'” Morton said.