California Baptist University’s annual Stress Relief Week will be held April 15-18 by the Associated Students of CBU.
Students can look forward to playing with puppies, receiving massages and entering a carnival experience complete with funnel cake, interactive rides, and acai bowls from JuJuBar or street tacos made to order.
Every day of the week includes different activities and treats.
The week is devoted to providing undergraduate students of CBU with a break from the stress of everyday student life and studying for final exams.
This year’s activities will take place on the Front Lawn from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. ASCBU encourages students to participate and experience all the events happening. Additionally, the first 15 students who arrive will receive a custom shirt each day.
Angela Crites, ASCBU vice president, said in addition to Stress Relief Week, ASCBU offers services that students can enjoy at no additional cost every day through their office.
“Students can come by anytime (to the office) to enjoy free printing, free poster prints and freebies,” Crites said. “Currently, we have reusable straws and Office kits that include mini-staplers, scissors, highlighters and other school supplies that students use daily.”
Shevan Breaux, marriage and family therapist and professional clinical counselor trainee, said stress is the body’s way of reacting to specific life events that she called stressors.
Negative stressors are referred to as distress, whereas positive stressors are referred to as eustress.
“College students have no shortage of stressors on a regular basis. Though there may not be one main cause, change is a common theme,” Breaux said. “For example, students may feel a level of distress or eustress adjusting to the change in pace from high school to college or preparing for graduation.”
Breaux gave other examples of stressors including pressure at school, such as having to work harder to get the same results they did in high school.
“College students are continually under pressure while being required to perform well and prepare for the future,” Breaux said.
Breaux emphasized the importance of self-care when handling stress, recommending activities, such as working out, getting outdoors, hanging out with friends, journaling, reading or taking a drive to help reduce stress.
“The important thing is that it should be something one enjoys doing. These activities won’t make stressors go away but will help make them more manageable,” Breaux said.
Rio Guzman, junior sociology major, said she enjoyed Stress Relief Week last year and is looking forward to another year of activities.
“This year, I hope to be able to go each day and meet up with a different friend so we can check in on each other during the high-stress season,” Guzman said. “Also, I’m hoping for more puppies.”
To help manage stress, CBU offers counseling services for students in both individual and group settings.
Group settings can be helpful because students can meet with other individuals, share their stories and learn various coping strategies.
For more information on what CBU offers to cope with stress, students can visit CBU’s Wellness Center on Monroe Street.
