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Spring Break… in Evanston?

Posted by Taylor Hayden

Great news, Wildcats– spring break 2018 is just around the corner! After a long, stressful quarter of classes, extracurriculars, and internship searches, the flowers of spring are starting to bloom. I think I speak for all of us when I say that it’s time for a well deserved break.

Not so great news– you don’t have any travel plans, and you’re going to be spending spring break in Evanston. Major bummer, right? Well, not so fast! Evanston might not be as hopping with parties and beaches as South Florida, but we’ve got some ideas to make sure this E-Town spring break is one to remember.

1) Take advantage of the CTA and venture into some fun new neighborhoods

With one swipe of a Ventra card, you can hop on the train and explore America’s third-largest city. Want to head downtown? Catch a Purple Line express and spend the day taking in the sights and sounds of the Loop. Lincoln Park, right off the Fullerton stop of the Red Line, has a bevy of fun restaurants and shops, and is also home to DePaul University’s Chicago campus. Heck, there’s even a pair of stops in Skokie if you’d prefer to venture westward! We’re in one of the biggest urban areas in the country, and there’s plenty of subway-accessible options that can keep you busy for a week.

2) Use your WildCard to access free cultural opportunities

It may be hard to take advantage of this when you’re busy with your classes, but spring break is the perfect time to unlock some sweet discounts to museums with your WildCard! The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) and Art Institute of Chicago both offer discounted admission to Northwestern students, and are a perfect place to spend a quiet spring day. Having fun isn’t hard if you’ve got a WildCard!

3) Stay local and take some time to explore Evanston

Don’t feel like venturing too far from your dorm or apartment? Lucky for you, there’s a ton to do in Evanston beyond Northwestern’s campus! Take a long walk by the lake, explore the shops up by Central Street (there’s more up there than just a hospital and football stadium!), or get some fresh food at Evanston’s indoor farmers market. Get a piece of that E-Town action!

4) Explore the outdoors with Norris Outdoors’ spring break deals

As the weather gets warmer and (let’s hope) a little more predictable, spring break is the perfect time to take advantage of Norris Outdoors’ spring break pricing! Tents, sleeping bags, and backpacks can all be rented for $25 for the entire duration of spring break (pick up between March 19 and 24, return by April 4). Everything else in the Norris Outdoors inventory can be had for $10. Who needs a loud party when you can fall asleep under the stars?

 

5) Catch up with friends, and catch up on your sleep!

Chances are you’re not the only person in your friend group who’s going to be in Evanston, so now is the perfect time to finally hang out after weeks of busy schedules! Cherish one of the only weeks of the academic year when you can hang out with your friends without having to make a when2meet. (Believe me, I’ve been there.)

Even if you’re the only member of the #squad who’s in town, there’s no need to worry– you don’t have to wake up early for class anymore, and after a tough quarter, sometimes you just need to take some time to rest. So turn that alarm clock off! There’s no time like spring break to catch up on that beauty rest. It’ll get you ready for a fantastic spring quarter, and add years to your life!

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Categories: Community

Dear Jesse, Thank You. Love, Allison.

Posted by Taylor Hayden

A smile shyly formed on the face of Jesus “Jesse” Consing, an integral part of the Northwestern community for the past 25 years, as he walked into the Allison lounge to be greeted by the residents, staff, and faculty who were awaiting his arrival.

Beaming with joy, Jesse insisted on waiting for others to take lunch from the delicious display of Mediterranean food before serving himself. Jesse hesitated to take a seat at the head of the table, but was, ultimately, convinced by the guests, including fellow Maintenance Technicians Eleazar Rojas and Ramon Carranza. After a few moments chatting away at the lunch table and enjoying a well-deserved break, Consing graciously accepted a certificate from Professor Rifka Cook and Residence Director Kathryn Melendez to acknowledge his years of service at Northwestern and his contributions to making Allison Residential Community a special place to live. There was a twinkle in his eye during Cook and Melendez’s remarks that recognized his hard work and devotion to the Allison community. To Jesse, he was simply “doing his job,” but to the residents of Allison, he was doing so much more.

Melendez, the Residence Director for the South Area, and Cook, the Faculty-in-Residence for Allison Residential Community, collaborated on this celebratory event to honor Jesse. “Jesse doesn’t really celebrate himself ever, and so it’s important for the people around him who see his good work and the people who care about him to give him that space and that time to relax and feel loved,” said Melendez. “Hopefully, today he feels a little pampered.”

Tamara Bruha, a Resident Assistant in Allison, described Jesse as “overall just a really sweet person” and emphasized the importance of acknowledging staff who do the work that can be taken for granted by students. The luncheon was a way for students, such as Bruha, to connect with and show gratitude for those who often remain behind the scenes.  

“I wanted to give recognition to Jesse. He works so hard. When I told him that I wanted to do something to express our appreciation, he said he didn’t want it,” explained Cook. After several attempts to convince him that he deserved to be honored, Cook realized what kind of person Jesse was. Jesse didn’t believe he needed this award or lunch, but those in Allison wanted him to know that he did.

Cook’s experience is consistent with the impressions of Johnathan Winters, Associate Director for Facilities & Construction, who called Jesse “a delightful person who is always willing to help. It’s a cliche, but it’s true with Jesse.” While in agreement about Jesse’s modest personality, Winters added that co-workers know “he is also a great dancer and loves to get down.”

Jesse is dedicated to making the student experience at Northwestern University better. He is one of the reasons why students can enjoy hanging out with friends and cooking with neighbors in Allison’s modern spaces. Simply put, Jesse makes Northwestern feel like home.

As a man of few words, but a warm smile, Jesse acknowledged he couldn’t explain the feelings that the luncheon evoked. He simply said, “I’m very thankful for honoring me and my co-workers.”

Jesse, thank you, from all of us. We appreciate you, your dedication, and your compassion. Allison would not be the same without you.

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Categories: Community, Residential Services

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Northwestern Residents Warm Up With the Witches

Posted by Taylor Hayden

No, Halloween has not moved to the winter.

On Feb. 11, student members and faculty and staff affiliates of residential colleges and residential communities gathered in the lobby of the Josephine Louis Theatre to sip warm hot cocoa topped with marshmallows and peppermint flakes as they waited to see the highly-anticipated “Vinegar Tom.” Guests at the reception were able to escape the snowstorm and long lines at the dining halls by munching on tasty appetizers ranging from savory (including crudité and antipasto) to sweet (like gooey brownie treats), while conversing about what to expect from the acclaimed show. Words like cats, feminism, witches, and executions were being thrown around as students, faculty, and staff mingled.

Following the performance of Caryl Churchill’s “play about witches with no witches,” attendees were invited to a special “talk back” with faculty members Tracy Davis (Professor of English and Theatre) and Lydia Barnett (Assistant Professor of History). They provided historical context for the setting of the show, discussed its themes on class and gender, and answered any lingering questions audience members might have had.

Rosie Roche, Northwestern Arts Manager and fellow at the Humanities Residential College at Chapin Hall, believes that “These intergenerational discussions can be very deep and sustain interest in a subject by bringing up many different perspectives.” Her goal as the pilot of a “Night at the Arts Circle”  is to make the high-caliber arts offered at Northwestern University “as accessible and as fun for students as possible, [while making] engaging with arts and culture a hallmark of the Northwestern student experience.”

There is no denying that these events bring communities together over food and provide students with a respite from their studies, but they also allow Northwestern students to take away important lessons and bond over larger themes. Nancy Anderson, Associate Director of Residential Academic Initiatives, emphasized how these residentially-organized trips create shared experiences between students, faculty, and staff. Equally important, the outings provide opportunities for individuals who may not otherwise be able to attend on their own due to cost or logistics. “I always strive for a balance of activities: on- and off-campus, intellectual and social, interactive and spectator-oriented. Students are often introduced to stimulating Chicago area venues as well as the wonderful range of events produced at Northwestern,” said Anderson. She noted some winter quarter highlights, including Wicked, a Chicago Bulls game, Lunar New Year dinner in Chinatown, and Ragtime (this year’s Dolphin Show).

Maggie Olson, a freshman at the Residential College of Cultural & Community Studies (CCS) at 2303 Sheridan Road, was attending her first Northwestern theatre production. “My friends had talked about [“Vinegar Tom”] and said it was so good, and I was excited that it was a feminist production.”

When asked why she was at the event, Tess Russell, a sophomore at CCS, decided to take advantage of the break from the fast-paced quarter system and enjoy a reminiscent night at the Arts Circle. “I grew up seeing plays a lot with my mom and my family, so plays really interest me and I saw the free opportunity. I always like expanding my boundaries and seeing new things and just getting out for a night after a long week of school.”

Jessica Biddlestone, Assistant Chair for Public Affairs Residential College (PARC) at North Mid-Quads, is a huge proponent of these events because they are “really good to kind of get to know the fellows . . . but in the kind of setting that’s outside of our building.”

Biddlestone has also seen a huge success in the amount of students eager to partake in similar events. “I’ve actually been thrilled this year because so many PARC students are really interested in these cross college events. I think because it’s just such a great opportunity to get a chance to go into the city or do something different than you normally would.” Leslie Bonilla, a frequent attendee of cross-RC events and a resident of 1838 Chicago, explains why she continues to return to these gatherings. “They’re free and always fun to attend. The food is great, the atmosphere is really casual, and everyone is super nice.”

“I think it’s really interesting that this [play] was written in the 1970s and it feels like someone could have written it right now. The problems from 300 years ago persist on and the oppression of women and the way women are seen in society has taken such a slow change. You would think it’s not relevant, but it still is,” Olson said.

A few hours earlier, Olson and Russell had walked into the building with little knowledge of the play, but they left with something much more than the few brownies in their hands. “I think it’s good to be educated about [women’s oppression] and coming out to see this production . . . that’s one of the first steps in trying to be a part of the movement,” says Russell.

Students went to see a play about witches but left charmed by the show’s story.

The event was made possible by generous support from the W. Keren and Robert Vishny Endowed Fund, which promotes student and faculty engagement to enhance the residential experience.

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Artfest Unveils Northwestern’s Hidden Artists

Posted by Taylor Hayden

When one thinks of Northwestern, numbers usually come to mind – whether it’s Northwestern’s low acceptance rate, its ranking amongst the other Big 10 schools in sports, or its lofty spot in the U.S. Colleges News & World Report.

Each of these numbers highlights the atmosphere of achievement that can preoccupy students. The pressures of finding a great internship, applying for the best clubs, and building up resumes often can eat up time students have for their favorite hobbies, which often involve diverse creative activities.

To give students an outlet to say “yes” to their inner artist or performer, Helicon and the Residential College Board (RCB) recently launched a new collaboration that took advantage of the newest residential venue on campus. They conceived Artfest as a way for students to share their love for literary and visual arts in a non-competitive environment.

Held on Feb. 15 in the Willard Hall Engagement Center, Artfest offered students an occasion to showcase their pieces in front of neighbors in an evaluation-free zone as friends cheered them on while munching on appropriately sophisticated hors d’oeuvres and desserts ranging from bacon-wrapped dates to luscious red velvet cupcakes.

Jolie Boulos, a sophomore in SESP and the president of the Public Affairs Residential College at North Mid-Quads (PARC), decided to stop by and appreciate the artwork produced by other Northwestern students. Yet, while Boulos was able admire the artwork presented at the event, she said, “I think a lot of people don’t really know what Helicon is.”

So . . . what exactly is Helicon?

“Helicon Literary & Arts Magazine is the oldest literary & arts magazine and, probably, the oldest creative outlet for Northwestern students on our campus,” explained Will Engellenner, editor-in-chief of the magazine. First published in the spring of 1979 and created as the “sort of brainchild of a bunch of students in Chapin,” the longtime home of the Humanities Residential College, Helicon now publishes two issues per year – one in the winter and one in the spring. The former is a print issue distributed across campus that includes a collection mostly of prose, poetry, and 2D art, while the spring issue publishes more multimedia art on Helicon’s website.

“Every year, whenever we do a magazine launch like the one coming up this March and the one that will be coming up in the spring, we traditionally hold an open mic at those events, but this is the first time we’ve collaborated with RCB on this type of event and I think we’re eager to do something soon again in the future because I feel like this event was a really big success,” said Engellenner.

Artfest was put together by Joey Salvo, RCB’s president, with support from Nancy Anderson, RCB’s adviser and Associate Director of Residential Academic Initiatives. The new multifunction room in the Willard Engagement Center was a lively and welcoming environment with an art house vibe thanks to the integrated stage lighting and branded backdrop that gave the lobby the feel of a red carpet. Students enjoyed refreshments while admiring the spoken word and visual appeals of the night. The student presenters took turns speaking before the audience as the selected art pieces were beautifully displayed in the background.

As they bravely shared their personal creations, the student speakers appreciated the audience’s engagement – and their applause. They embraced the recognition of their hard work in a setting that was entirely supportive and celebratory.

Engellenner emphasized that “it’s important [to participate in these open mic events] because a lot of Northwestern students are interested in the humanities in prose, poetry and the arts, but I feel like if you aren’t studying those things, there’s not necessarily a lot of outlets for people to sort of express them and have sort of a venue to show off their talents.”

Not everything is a competition. Sometimes, it’s about passion and, in this case, love. Love for the literary and the arts in a school so obsessed with numbers. Love for the friends who come out to support you. Love for the work you obsessed so much over and love for the confidence that has grown within you. Competition is unnecessary when there is a perfect venue for creativity and support.

Be sure to check out Helicon’s most recent issue, which launched on March 8th.

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The Value of Self-Compassion

Posted by Taylor Hayden

Students in college are balancing a lot of different responsibilities, from schoolwork, to jobs, to relationships, and for some, living on their own for the first time in their life. Although these things can be exciting, they’re also a lot to handle, and it’s understandable that some students find themselves feeling overly stressed or inadequate. One way for students to improve their mental health and, consequently, their life overall, is to build a sense of self-compassion.

Self-compassion is not about being selfish or lazy by letting yourself do whatever you want. Rather, the goal of self-compassion is to take care of yourself by treating yourself with kindness. Sometimes, we are our own worst critics. Self-compassion follows the philosophy that if you wouldn’t say it to a friend, you shouldn’t say it to yourself. The negative self-talk that so many of us participate only serves to damage our self-image without motivating us to change.

Another crucial part of self-compassion is practicing mindfulness. To practice mindfulness, you must be aware of your negative emotions, but address them in a healthy and appropriate manner. The goal of mindfulness is that you will be able to deal with the conflicts in your life without letting them control you.

When you inevitably make a mistake or have to confront a problem from within your life, rather than becoming angry with yourself, remember that failure is a normal human experience. If you can learn to accept your flaws as being a natural part of life, then you may gain some perspective that will reduce your stress.

For students searching for ways to practice self-compassion within your daily life, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) has created a video series called Breathe, which features a number of resource for students feeling anxious or overwhelmed. Some of these videos may be helpful to students looking to become more self-compassionate. More resources are also available on the CAPS website.

No matter what, remember that it’s OK to make mistakes sometimes, and focus on loving yourself. After all, who do you spend more time with than yourself?

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Wildcats Take a Trip to Wakanda

Posted by Taylor Hayden

On Feb. 17, Melissa Foster, the Faculty-in-Residence for Shepard Hall and 1838 Chicago, invited a group of students in her residential community to see Ryan Coogler’s Marvel blockbuster, Black Panther, during its opening weekend. Before the show, guests swarmed her home in Shepard for a Hecky’s Barbecue dinner including baked mac & cheese, scrumptious cornbread, finger-licking wings, and an overwhelming selection of pies. Smiling faces erupted all over the room while students met new people, connected with neighbors, and sat next to their friends. There was also a guest of honor at dinner: Terry Gant, owner of Third Coast Comics in Chicago. To get students oriented and hyped to see Black Panther, Foster invited Gant to do a pre-screening “fireside” about the relevance of the film, the importance of representation, and the history behind the comic turned movie.

Foster arranged this event to encourage students to take a break and get off campus during midterm season. “Hosting a full, evening long event on a Saturday night would really allow interested residents to de-stress as well as come together for dinner, an educational speaker, and a movie in town,” said Foster.

Anna White, a sophomore in Weinberg and “action movie fan,” was growing in excitement as she and other students prepared to head off for the screening. “It’s a free opportunity to go watch Black Panther, so I definitely wanted to see it, but this way I get to do it for free.” said White.

White was not alone in her enthusiasm. Students crowded Foster’s living room as they tried to get a great view of Gant. Students found seats on the floor, huddled along the walls, and found room wherever they could to hear the comic book owner speak. “This is fantastic. It was a really nice turnout . . . I wasn’t sure how many students there would be, but I was definitely into the room being filled with so many people curious about comics and the story of Black Panther,” said Gant.

When asked what students should take away from the afro-futuristic movie, Gant said “I hope the students come out of the movie and think about being creative . . . Use their voices to tell their stories in ways that don’t have to be built upon what others have done. Be brave.”

The students were receiving more than a movie ticket. Black Panther was a story about unity and empowerment. After the movie, students were laughing over the best jokes, comparing themselves to their favorite characters, and taking photos together by the movie displays.

Yet, even before the show, the event had managed to draw the students closer to each other and their Faculty-in-Residence. Similar to the Dora Milaje, T’Challa’s powerful army, Melissa Foster gathered her own group of super students to make the event a success. “This was a team effort. Some students talked to the speaker and made him feel welcome while I was occupied with the catering delivery. Others helped clean up so we could quickly transition from dinner to the outing. Others ran and got great places in line. Others saved seats so we could all be together. It’s truly a community. I know that, and I see that often, but this event was the epitome of the neighborhood being exactly that,” said Foster.

The students might have headed back to their separate res halls after the show, but one thing remains certain – after a long night of fun and bonding, it is truly Wakanda forever.

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Northwestern Students Say “Enough” to Gun Violence

Posted by Sarah Springhorn

This year for Valentine’s Day, the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, didn’t get to party with friends or go out on dates. Instead, the students were faced with a nightmare when a gunman armed with an AR-15 attacked their school. The attack left 17 dead and 17 more injured. Now, on the one month anniversary of the shooting, March For Our Lives, a group started by survivors of the shooting, is encouraging students across the nation to organize school walkouts in protest of gun violence.

Following their lead, a small group of Northwestern students, many from South Florida, felt a need to respond to the shooting and planned a bipartisan protest on campus. When asked why she became involved with planning the event, Medill senior Stephanie Bernstein explained, “I’m proud of Northwestern and I was not going to let us be quiet.”

On Wednesday, March 14, Northwestern students will gather in two locations: the Rock and Technological Institute. From there, students will begin marching towards Deering Library, where there will be a moment of silence for the lives lost in the shooting. This moment will be followed by a series of guest speakers, including Evanston Mayor Stephen H. Hagerty and Northwestern President Morton Schapiro. Students planning on marching are asked to arrive no later than 9:55 a.m., as the march will begin promptly at 10 a.m.

At 6 p.m. that evening, there will also be a candlelight vigil held at the Rock to honor all the lives lost to gun violence. At this time, there will also be an opportunity for students to sign a banner before it is hand delivered to Marjory Stoneman Douglas. All students are invited to participate in both events. More information can be found on the Facebook event page.

Through organization and hard work, the event has come together very quickly. According to Bernstein, “The administration is really standing behind us, and I think that just shows that this isn’t a matter of… a political opinion or taking sides, this is just something so vital that needs to be done.” She hopes that students will stay passionate about the cause even after Wednesday’s protest is over. Students can continue to push for change by calling their representatives, writing letters to Congress, talking about these issues with friends, and registering to vote.

Other protests will also take place on Saturday, March 24. Students staying in the Chicago area can look into March For Our Lives Chicago in Grant Park. Those who will already be off-campus by that time can use this search tool from March For Our Lives to look for a nearby protests about gun control. With over 580 protests scheduled worldwide, there are a lot of options for students to make their voices heard.

In the face of a tragedy like the Parkland shooting, it can be easy to lose hope and feel resigned to future disasters. But through events like this protest, our community can make the choice to stay strong and fight these issues. This is an opportunity to bring about positive policy changes to improve the lives of students nationwide, so that never again will any student feel unsafe in school.

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Categories: Community

Residence Hall Engagement Centers Strengthen Communities

Posted by Taylor Hayden

Tucked in the basement of Shepard Hall is the Student Engagement Center. By day, the space is a classroom, but most evenings, the desks are pushed aside, and it becomes a place for students to grow and learn in a less traditional sense. Students learn to cook in the gorgeous demonstration kitchen, play games with friends, hold club meetings, and get to know other residents.

The Engagement Center was created during Shepard Hall’s 2015-16 renovation, and since then it has been providing opportunities for community building and important conversations. With the University’s ongoing 10-year Housing Master Plan, spaces like Shepard’s Engagement Center will soon exist in every residential neighborhood, allowing students, staff, and faculty to build and strengthen their communities.

One of the numerous great examples of how the Engagement Center is bringing Wildcats together was through the Dolphin Show Opening Night Reception on January 26. Fifty students, faculty, and staff from all over campus gathered in the space  in anticipation of the 76th Annual Dolphin Show, Ragtime. After socializing and snacking on hors d’oeuvres, the group was welcomed by faculty-in-residence of the 1838 Chicago/Shepard Hall Residential Community Melissa Foster, a senior musical theatre lecturer in the School of Communication. Foster expressed excitement for the show, which she called “one of the best musicals ever written,” but also for the chance to come together over art and discuss the important themes explored in Ragtime.

“It’s extremely important to give the residents a chance to interact in a safe setting,” Foster said. “It’s easier to talk to people you don’t otherwise know, and a reception with a targeted topic such as Ragtime provides the ability to interact about specific subject matter or to have a more casual and informal conversation.”

Michael Kelleher, executive business producer of Dolphin Show, also addressed the group. The School of Communication junior told students about the hard work and dedication that went into every aspect of the show. “It has developed from a celebrated campus tradition to America’s largest student-produced musical, which is a title we take very seriously,” Kelleher said. “To us it means that we have the responsibility to represent the very best that student theater can be.”

After the remarks, attendees continued mingling with one another until they headed over to take in Ragtime as a group. The event was supported by the W. Keren and Robert Vishny Endowed Fund, which promotes student and faculty engagement to enrich the residential experience.

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Go Behind the Scenes with NUDM’s Productions Committee

Posted by Taylor Hayden

This Friday, after a full year of fundraising and preparation, over a thousand students will gather in a tent for 30 hours to participate in Northwestern University Dance Marathon (NUDM). This 44-year campus tradition has raised over 19 million dollars for various charitable causes since its inaugural year in 1975, and has grown into one of the largest student-run philanthropies in the country. From 7 p.m. on Friday night to 1 a.m. on Sunday morning, the music never stops blaring and the dancers barely leave their feet.

For members of NUDM’s productions committee, though, the round-the-clock whirlwind of Dance Marathon begins even earlier and ends even later. Every year, at 9 a.m. on the Monday before the main event, three trucks of lighting, sound, and rigging equipment arrive at Norris and are loaded into the tent. For the next week, student-led crews work in the tent from before sunrise until well after sunset to get the event’s elaborate light show, large video screens, and numerous banners and set pieces ready for 30 hours of nonstop dancing.

“One of the unique things about NUDM is how many of the technical and production decisions are made by students,” said communication senior Isadora Porte, one of the co-lighting designers of the event. “Every year, we get to work with people on all sorts of different committees with all kinds of skill sets to help make the event better than ever.”

The scale of NUDM, she explains, is unlike any other event that students can work on during the year. The light plot includes 26 moving lights, 63 LED lights, thousands of feet of cable, and (new this year) a disco ball. Students will live-mix lights and video for the entire 30 hours of the event, including several pre-programmed light shows, including a dizzying display of strobe lights set to Darude’s “Sandstorm.”

Once the 30 hours start, members of the productions committee remain busy behind the scenes. While the dancers party into the night, the productions crew (or “prod squad,” as they like to call themselves) run the light board, operate video cameras, and check the tent for equipment that needs to be repaired or swapped out. During breaks in the dancing, students will even wheel out a genie lift or set up a 20-foot ladder to climb up to the roof of the tent to fix broken lights or plug in loose cables.

In what might be the most grueling part of the entire process, the productions committee then stays overnight after dancers leave to take down the entire week’s worth of work in only a few hours, a process called strike. After they finally leave the tent on Sunday afternoon, members of the productions committee head over to Walker Bros. in Wilmette for a few stacks of celebratory pancakes. “We spend so much time together,” explained Porte, “that even folks who didn’t know each other a week earlier become friends by the time we’re done striking.”

This year’s Dance Marathon is raising money for Cradles to Crayons— an organization that provides clothes, school supplies, toys, and other goods to children in need. In addition, NUDM is continuing its partnership with the Evanston Community Foundation to assist local families and strengthen university relations with the Evanston community. For more information, visit nudm.org.

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The Norris Guide to Stress Relief

Posted by Taylor Hayden

Wildcats’ least favorite week of the year is fast approaching. Maybe you’re already stressed out thinking about the exams, papers, and presentations that are coming. No need to freak out though. By making an efficient timetable, getting enough sleep, and enjoying the stress relief opportunities at Norris, the week will pass by without a major breakdown.

If you are a study-at-night person, you can start jumping up and down because Norris will be open every day until midnight with late-night study spaces. And if you’re worried about the cost of those 20 pages papers you need to print, guess what? There will be free printing on the ground floor during both reading week and finals week.

On Friday, March 16, Exam Relief programming takes off with a fun belly dancing session for you to shimmy your stress away from 8:30 – 9:30 p.m. in the Wildcat Room. It is proven that any form of exercise boosts your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins, so moving your hips for a while will definitely be a great stress reliever.

Then on Sunday, March 18, in the Northwestern Room from 3 – 4:40 p.m., you can enjoy the best therapy there is: mini horses. Petting these wonderful creatures will ease your anxiety levels and put a smile on your face. You can also head down to the ground level at 7 p.m. and sign up for the Game Break Competition with chance to win a $25 gift card. Games will begin at 7:30 p.m. and categories include fidget spinners, Candyland, and giant Jenga. If all of this fun works up your appetite, then stay around from 10 – 11 p.m. for a Candyland Snack Break.

Another way of relieving stress, reducing muscle tensions, sharpening concentration, and calming the nervous system is…drumroll…yoga! That’s why on Monday, March 19, you should take an hour of your time, from 7 – 8 p.m. and attend the nighttime yoga session in the Wildcat Room. Give your body and mind the care they deserve. Afterwards, you can head down to the ground level at 10 p.m. and snag one of five different flavors at the hot cookie bar. Score!

But that’s not all! On Tuesday, March 20 you can enjoy the ultimate stress reliever and relax with free massages. Doesn’t that sound heavenly? They will be available in the Northwestern Room from 7 – 9 p.m., but be sure to get there before 7 p.m. or you’ll find a really long line. After you’ve loosened up, go to the ground floor at 11 p.m. to enjoy the Big Late Night Breakfast. On Wednesday, March 21, you can treat yourself to a bagel break, also on the ground floor, from 10 – 11 p.m.

Stress can get the best of us during the few last weeks of the quarter, but Norris is always there to guide you through a healthy way of acing this finals season. Make sure to take advantage of it!

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