Kent State University Libraries will host its sixth-annual fall semester Stress-Free Zone on Monday, Dec. 10, and Tuesday, Dec. 11. The event will be open to all Kent State students, faculty and staff from 3-5 p.m. in the Garden Room on the first floor of the University Library. Stress-Free Zone kicks off finals week as a way to get students to relax and take a break from studying and stress.
Cynthia Williams, director of marketing, communications and public relations for University Libraries, said that it can be detrimental to students when they overstudy or continue to cram in information before an exam.
“Stress-Free Zone allows people to take a few minutes to stop, exhale and renew their minds by doing something enjoyable like petting the dogs or eating a snack,” Ms. Williams said. “Students are able to face their challenges with a better attitude.”
Each year, the Dogs on Campus Pet Therapy Program® make a visit to help brighten up students’ days and help them forget about the stress of final exams.
“The event is a crowd-pleaser, and the dogs definitely are a factor in bringing people back each year,” Ms. Williams said.
A Fortnite competition also will take place in the University Library’s Technology Institution Room as a new activity this year. The competition will be a battle royale, head-to-head competition where students can sit down, compete in a battle and then give the next set of students a chance to play.
For more information about library operations during finals week, including open hours for University Libraries through Friday, Dec. 14, visit https://www.library.kent.edu/.