That time of the year, which practically every student dreads, is here. It’s time for finals.

Many students could have a love-hate relationship with the end of the second semester. It is so close to summer break, but each day nearing the end is another essay, another test and another deadline.

How does an individual efficiently cope with impending madness? Is it enough to have a planner and check off every assignment? There are proven methods to reduce stress and anxiety, such as exercise. 

According to Harvard Health Publishing, physical activity serves as a good distraction from daily stressors and it can release “feel-good” endorphins to make someone feel better. 

While it may be a fun fact, not everyone can get to the gym and afford to spend hours waiting for one machine. So, what options are left?

Take a short amount of time and have a public mental breakdown. 

The University is full of locations that provide spaces to fall apart! Five locations, stuck out as ideal spots to do so.

1. Bardeen Quadrangle

Coming in hot at number one is the beloved engineering quad. Located on the north end of campus, it is full of beautiful scenery, modern facilities and hundreds of overworked STEM majors. 

Laying in the grass above the running waters of Boneyard Creek is truly an enriching experience. No one will notice your crying, kicking and screaming because everyone else is doing the exact same thing. 

A study from Stanford University found people experience positive mental benefits by being in nature. A good scenic view may be just what someone needs to release all the mental tension from the final weeks of classes. 

Sometimes, the workload is so awful, you just need to reconnect with nature. Go touch some expensive grass. 

2. Krannert Amphitheatre

What many students refer to as the “Krannert steps,” the Amphitheatre is a close second for an awesome spot to be able to question the decision of going to college. 

The Amphitheatre is sitting on the west terrace and facing the Main Quad. The best time to visit is when the sky darkens. The color changing lights will provide a unique ambience as you lay flat on your back with your headphones on.

Cry into oblivion while your sad song playlist blares into your eardrums and permanently damages your hearing. 

During the day, Krannert Center’s website said it is a great spot for cloud watching, lunch and coffee. The benefits of visiting during the day or night could be interchangeable. It really depends what kind of vibes you want.

Sadness, “emo” feelings and questioning the foundations of the ways you choose to live is great for the night. The stars will provide a sense of comfort, strangely. Taking a breath during your busy schedule, people watching and appreciating the little things in life is great for the daylight.

The Amiphitheatre can do it all! Another multitalented facet from the Krannert Center. 

3. The Ikenberry Dining Hall

Take a stroll down Gregory Drive and wait in a 30-minute line for a corn dog. Then, cry over it in the corner of the seating areas. It is a great way to end a long day of classes. 

If someone wants to silently sniffle and blend into a crowd of wound-up students viciously munching on pasta, this is the spot for them. Sections A-G are recommended for a little more privacy. 

You may get some concerned looks, but the Ikenberry Commons residents are surrounded by a multitude of different characters of people, and this is probably not the strangest thing they have witnessed. 

A distressed student can even get a soft serve ice cream cone on the way out of the dining hall. 

The tables are exposed to natural light with giant windows surrounding the seating areas. If students go to eat during the sunset, they get a calming view of Memorial Stadium in the distance. 

4. Illini Grove

To reminisce on simpler times, which may be when you looked forward to overnight summer camp, go on the corner of Lincoln and Pennsylvania Avenues. The Illini Grove is there to support you.

The Illini Grove is a section of wooded area containing picnic tables and visually pleasing sights. It can provide a switch from the urban and busy feel on campus.

According to the Campus Recreation website, this spot is “perfect for a get-together with friends!” However, the Grove is also great for walking around in circles and fantasizing about turning in the paper that has been hanging over your head.

The picnic tables also provide comfort while you craft an email to your professor asking for mercy toward an upcoming assignment. 

Students go to unwind in various ways. It is a popular spot for inhaling relaxation and exhaling your worries. Just pick a spot and be present. 

5. The Main Quad

Although it is an unoriginal crying location, the Main Quad must be mentioned. 

A location 203 feet wide and 940 feet long is yours to make the most of, according to the UIHistories website. It’s always a pleasant experience to shed a tear while a tour group of bright-eyed prospective students pass you by. 

The Main Quad can be filled with students and community members on a day with nice weather, making your presence less known among all the chaos. All individuals mesh together to create collective laughing, screaming and passionate conversing.

Just beware of the groups playing frisbee or tossing a football around. While you dwell on your emotional pain, you may have those internal unpleasant feelings manifested into a physical form as you get knocked upside the head. 

Still, the Main Quad is a place worth trying. It is likely hundreds of students have cried on that very grass, and hundreds more will. 

The University may contain unique locations that could be able to provide a sense of tranquility or opportunities to destress for students. During finals, get with friends, study buddies or strangers, to unite together and have public mental breakdowns during a collectively difficult time.

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