As the end of the semester quickly approaches, many students deal with stress as they prepare for finals. But, to prepare students for this season, Texas A&M University- Kingsville (TAMUK) will be hosting a few events to help students cope with and alleviate stress and celebrate the end of another semester.
To help students find ways to cope with stress in healthy ways and host stress relieving activities, Student Health and Wellness is hosting a Stress Free Zone from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 28 at the MSUB Pavilion.
The event is held every year before finals week to provide students with information about how to properly handle stress.
Jo Elda Castillo-Alaniz, the director of Student Health and Wellness, explains that the event educates students about stress and how to manage it.
This is done through various booths with different information and activities.
At the Stress Free Zone, various organizations will participate. The Campus Activities Board will give students the opportunity to alleviate stress by having a painting activity. TAMUK’s Pre-Physical Therapy association will be discussing how different forms of exercise can help students cope with stress.
Other booths will be giving information on nutrition, STD prevention, and the services TAMUK offers to help students handle their stress.
Fabiola Cuellar, a wellness assistant for Student Health and Wellness, is coordinating the event. She is a senior at TAMUK and understands how stress impacts the lives of students. For her, the event is important to attend to gain a better understanding of how stress works differently in each persons’ life.
“I feel that it is very important for college students to go to this event, so that they can learn or even identify what is causing your stress. How can I cope with this? How can I make this easier?” Cuellar said.
The day after the Stress Free Zone, the Office of Student Activities is hosting an End of Year Luncheon from 12 to 1:30 p.m. in the JSEC.
This event will provide transfer students with the opportunity to meet new people and celebrate the things they have accomplished during the semester over a meal. While the event is hosted for transfer students, all TAMUK students are invited to the event.
The event is one of a few events held during the year for transfer students. Martie DeLaPaz, the Leadership and Special Projects coordinator for the Office of Student Activities, believes the event is a great way for students to get involved on campus.
“Definitely we’d want them to come in, so they can get to know people, get to know faculty [and] staff and so they can get involved…We’d like for them to come in and know that we’re here for them,” DeLaPaz said.
The Office of Student Activities is also hosting an event called “Last Minute Goodies” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 4 at the MSUB Pavilion. At this event students will be given the opportunity to receive various school supplies such as highlighters, pencils and Scantrons.
As the end of the semester brings about stress for many students, attending the various events hosted at TAMUK can help alleviate some of the tension around finals season by learning how to manage stress, enjoying a meal to celebrate the semester and receiving supplies for finals.