The middle of second semester can be a stressful time that consists of several midterm exams, essays and jobs. The Counseling Services and Student Health Services know this and that is why they held the Good Mood Fair, an event were students could relax by taking lessons in tai chi, yoga, meditation, color, create tile coasters and make their own trail mix. The goal of this event was to allow students to see what types of resources are available on campus to help them to relax midway through the week.

“This event helped me to relax. It helped to turn my brain off from classes,” fifth year business administration major Cassie Brant said. Brant was found at the coloring table, a place she said reminded her of a childhood activity that you never grow out of, relaxing her mind in a piece of art.

The Good Mood Fair was held in the Pioneer Rooms of the Markee Pioneer Student Center. The Counseling and Health Services created a PowerPoint that displayed the many different resources on campus that can help with stress, as well as showing difference methods students could use to relieve some stress.

“We see that students tend to focus on the big stress of life. We wanted to show them that there is a variety of stress relief methods to use,” counselor Teresa Miller said.

Students who attended this event found it to be very helpful for learning new strategies and techniques for handling stress, something college students deal with every day. There were half-hour sessions in tai chi, yoga, meditation and mindfulness, which were taught by different faculty and staff. For some students, these ‘classes’ were the highlight of the event.

“My favorite part of the Good Mood Fair was either the tai chi lesson or the tile art,” first year health and human performance major Monica Radtke said.

Along with hosting events like the Good Mood Fair, the Counseling and Health Services also holds Wellness Tuesdays. These events are focused on mindfulness/mediation, creative expression, yoga and healthy living. They happen every Tuesday from 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. in room 318 of Royce Hall. Each week they rotate through the different wellness techniques and activities to show students different methods they can use to handle their stresses and make themselves feel better.

They are also trying to create an app world for students, a resource that can help with stress management, focus and concentration. The apps they have recommended include the following: Calm by Calm.com; Take a Break by Meditation Oasis; Headspace by Headspace; Stop, Breath & Think by Stop, Breath & Think; Smiling Mind by Smiling Mind; and What’s Up? by Jackson Tempura.

The Good Mood Fair is just a start for the different events that the Counseling and Health Services would like to hold for students. They would like to try and do an event at least once a year, but hopefully once a semester.

“The event will be very helpful in the fall when there is a lot of high stress and new students. It would allow them to see the different resources we offer on campus for when they need them,” Miller said.