It comes as no surprise that college students are stressed. According to a recent Gallup survey, 66% of college students in the United States felt stress during the semester. Interestingly, the same study found that female students are more likely to experience stress than their male peers, with 72% of female students having reported stress while compared to 56% of their male counterparts.
Despite the breakdown, the bottom line is that the majority of college students in the U.S. experience stress someway or another. Between juggling anywhere from 15+ credit hours, extracurricular activities, internships, jobs, a social life and more, college students have a lot on their plate.
John Carroll students are no exception to this busy lifestyle. Thankfully, there are resources through the Wellness Center on campus that can help to combat this stressful time. Events held can be presentations, programs and planned activities with topics such as mental health, physical health and healthy relationships. These programs are meant to help students practice wellness and navigate their college years; they are also easily relatable because they are run by student Peer Health Advocates (PHAs).
PHA Anna Laube ‘26 spoke on her experience with the Wellness Center and why she wanted to be a member of this team, saying “I originally was interested because I went to one of the presentations that they did and it really spoke to me with my transition to college and things that I was going through. It helped me a lot at that time, so then I wanted to be a part of it so I could help other students with the same experiences.”
Looking more specifically at the events run by PHAs, one event that occurs monthly, sometimes twice a month, is Wellness in the Stacks. Held in the library, this event offers students the opportunity to take a break from the stress of their everyday lives and unwind with a fun activity.
On Mar. 11, 2024, the Wellness in the Stacks event involved decorating tote bags and bookmarks. Students could pick a blank tote bag or bookmark and use provided paint, stickers, markers and gems to decorate them. Students were spread out around the main entrance of the library, creating a welcoming sense of community while everyone was crafting together.
In addition, snacks and candy were offered and two service dogs patiently awaited pets from participants. The service dogs normally come to events, if not every other event, but it’s not a guarantee.
Further, Laube shared one of her favorite Wellness in the Stacks events: a hydration station. “My favorite event is coming up next [on] Monday [Mar. 18]. We’re doing a hydration station here in the library for after St. Pattys Day. We’ll have water bottles and sliced fruit and stuff like that. You can decorate a water bottle and take it with you.”
Other Wellness in the Stacks events include a decorate your own mug and free cocoa/tea event, a build your own essential oil diffuser and heating pad event as well as a de-stress painting activity.
If you’re a college student and experience stress, incorporating wellness events, such as Wellness in the Stacks, could be a positive addition to your life. To keep up-to-date with the wellness center, follow their Instagram @jcu_well.
