University resources help students relax during finals
Huff, perched upon a Illini Service Dogs worker, enjoys the view during the Pat-the-Pup event hosted by the Illini Service Dogs at the Main Quad on March 17.
May 11, 2015
It’s that time again.
The Starbucks line is out of the store, bags magically appear under students’ eyes and the libraries are at full capacity.
As finals week approaches, the University will provide services for students to de-stress and detox before, during or after exams.
University libraries
Services have been provided to students at the Undergraduate Library for a few years, and now the University has recently expanded its assistance to students who study at the Grainger Engineering Library and the Funk Library, said David Ward, Undergraduate Library reference services librarian.
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According to its blog, the Undergraduate Library offers therapy dogs and chair yoga.
“The dog therapy is something students respond to well,” Ward said. “We get a lot of positive feedback during the event and people will talk to us later or tweet at us about how much they enjoyed the opportunity.”
This year, the libraries are adding chair yoga therapy for students to relax during their hours of studying.
“This time of the semester we see a lot of students who are using some of our services for the first time and don’t realize they need to build in extra time for some of these services,” said Lori Mestre, professor and head of the Undergraduate Library, in an email.
Mestre encourages students to use the library, its
Illini Spaces
To help students find their favorite study spot, Technology Services at Illinois and the University Library partnered to create a new app called “Illini Spaces.”
The app, which allows students to preview over 100 campus spaces, is available on
The app employs Google Maps to help students find a study spot. From there, students can zoom in on a chosen space to see how many seats are available. Students can also use filters to determine if the space is open, allows food or has printers.
McKinley Health Center
As well as scheduling appointments with the Counseling Center, the McKinley Health Center has a stress management department to help students during finals week.
Jennifer Carson, stress management coordinator and wellness promotion specialist at McKinley, said the center offers students the opportunity to schedule appointments to address stress-related concerns and needs.
The center also offers free and downloadable online relaxation exercises for students to take a break and relax from studying. There are also workshops available with stress management facilitators in order to learn how to handle stress while on campus. Stress relief packs filled with snacks, fun gadgets, stress tips and a stress ball, are currently available as well, Carson said.
Zach Kahley, junior in ACES, said he finally feels like he can manage his stress with finals this year.
“I’m excited that the dog therapy is starting at ACES Library,” Kahley said. “My girlfriend and I used to walk dogs all the time, and it’s really relaxing for me to hang out with them.”
