Stress relief is something college students are always looking for. Whether it’s something calming or active, all students have their own ways of relieving stress.
UpCycle Ohio thrift store located at 751 W. Union St., offers a more recent trend of stress relief with its new rage room.
The Breakerspace is a rage room put together by UpCycle Ohio. The rage room adds a place for Athens residents to relieve anger and anxiety in a healthy and sustainable way.
Tony Hammons, manager of UpCycle Ohio and the Breakerspace, said the rage room has been in the works for quite some time.
Hammons hopped on the opportunity to open the Breakerspace in the thrift store and said it is a great addition to UpCycle Ohio.
“I guess in a broader sense, it speaks to just how natural a solution it really is to some of the issues that we face,” Hammons said. “Essentially, I was the first person who didn't shy away from the potential liability.”
Another benefit of the Breakerspace is something which may be unexpected for rage room goers. UpCycle Ohio is part of Rural Action, a nonprofit in Southeast Ohio. The Breakerspace helps with the sustainability efforts of UpCycle Ohio.
“The Breakerspace sort of answered a lot of those problems because some of (the catalog) will wind up in the landfill anyway,” Hammons said. “But if we break it in the Breakerspace, we can condense it down oftentimes to less than half of what its size profile in the landfill would have been otherwise.”
The Breakerspace helps recycle fine China sets, old computers and dishware donated to the thrift. What does not end up getting recycled ends up at the UpCycle Ohio Community Makerspace.
“There are several (dishes) that will have beautiful little hand-painted flowers and things like that,” Hammons said. “They can be taken into the makerspace and turned into jewelry.”
Some Ohio University students expressed interest in testing out the Breakerspace. After a long day of exams or classes, it may be a great way to blow off steam.
Lloyd Sweeney, a senior studying animation, said they know a lot of people who have done a rage room, but Sweeney has never been.
“I think that it’s a very good way to use things that nobody wants anymore,” Sweeney said. “It’s not just collecting dust somewhere, just taking up space for things that could be brought in for people who don’t want them.”
Katie Conover, a junior studying media arts production, said she was excited to explore a rage room. She said she also appreciates UpCycle Ohio’s mission of sustainability within the Breakerspace.
“I’ve never thought about sustainability within a rage room,” Conover said. “That’s really cool they thought about that … I mean, it makes sense to break things that don’t have any purpose anymore.”
UpCycle Ohio and the Breakerspace have different hours, which is important for possible visitors to keep in mind. UpCycle Ohio is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., while the Breakerspace is only open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Slots for the Breakerspace are $25 for 15 minutes, and customers can use items from the thrift store.
After a long week, the Breakerspace might just be the best spot in Athens to unwind.
