Campus Programming Relations hosted a Relaxation Event last week to help students take a break from studying for final exams. CPR’s free Relaxation Event was held in the University Room in Markee from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Dec. 9. 

Comforting images of fireplaces crackling were displayed on two large screens, which hung high on the back wall to greet students as they entered the light-hearted environment. Lights lined the entrance and the display tables. Christmas music was played quietly, floating in the air. 

A long table on the left side of the room, displayed food on skewers: shortcake with a strawberry top, marshmallows and pretzel sticks. Students dipped their confections into a chocolate fondue fountain. Circle tables were available for students to eat the treats they made and make ornaments. Wooden ornaments, in the shapes of snow people, snowflakes, trees and baubles, were offered for students to decorate near a table that displayed paint brushes, bottles of brightly colored paints and a sign that read “A little paint goes a long way.” 

Another stress-relieving activity CPR offered was an oxygen bar, or a short bar where pure oxygen, available in different smells, was readily available for therapeutic inhalation. An individual nasal tube was given to each student curious enough to try it. Four students could use the oxygen bar at one time, each station having 4 unique smells, making a total of 16 varieties of pure oxygen. A few of the samples were Mango, Mountain Berry, Lime, Eucalyptus and Coconut Mint. The attraction created a long line of students, stretching halfway across the room as the Relaxation Event began. 

A simple game was implemented to the afternoon event as a fun way for students to test their luck. The goal was to throw wooden stars into a three-foot-high statue of a cowboy boot, which seemed impossible after many tries. The rule of the game was that if a student managed to get at least four wooden stars into the boot, they would win a t-shirt. 

CPR invited students to “wear pajamas and bring your blanket.” Some students wore pajamas and this personal effort, on their part, assisted in CPR’s event turning out to be relaxing and comfortable. The Relaxation Event was a friendly reminder of the holiday sentiments to look forward to after finals week is over.