For many Ohio University students, finals season brings heightened stress. To help students manage the end-of-semester pressure, the university is offering a slate of programs, events and mental health resources.
Alden Library is hosting “Finals at Alden,” a series of activities aimed at helping students study and decompress, including button and bookmark making, free popcorn and s’mores and visits with 4-H Pet Pals.
Alexander Semancik, a university spokesperson, said Alden will offer numerous activities to help students prepare for and destress after finals.
"We provide a variety of activities – food, crafts, pets, games – at different times of day to reach as many students as possible,” Alden Library Events and Exhibits Coordinator Kelly Roder wrote in an email. “We hope we have something for everyone that helps them de-stress during these busy weeks."
Counseling and Psychological Services is also expanding student support during finals. CPS Director Paul Castelino said Drop-in Hours and Let’s Talk Hours will continue through Thursday of finals week. The department also offers the Creative Coping Café every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to noon in Lindley Hall 058 and encourages students to use the Well-Being Wing.
The Collegiate Recovery Community, part of CPS, will host a Painting with Bob Ross event Friday, Dec. 5, from 1-3 p.m. in the Baker Center third-floor atrium.
Additional finals week programs include Polar Express PJ Study Night, hosted by the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, on Monday, Dec. 8, and Commuter Decompress Night, hosted by Housing and Residence Life, on Tuesday, Dec 9.
Shadrack Bannor, a graduate assistant with Well-Being Programming and Outreach, said when he feels stressed, he often works out at the gym, uses the HydroMassage Chairs in the Well-Being Wing and finds a relaxing space to de-stress.
“We have the Well-Being Wing, where the coaches have sessions with clients or with students,” Bannor said. “We have the space where students can use the HydroMassage (Chairs), the CryoLounge and the (RelaxSpace Wellness Pod).”
Although campus resources can help reduce stress in the short term, research shows student stress levels have been rising for decades.
Transforming Education, a Canadian organization that studies academic well-being, released a report September 2024 outlining increased stress among middle school, high school and college students.
According to the report, one in five college students reported feeling stressed all or most of the time, and student stress levels have risen by 30% in the last 30 years. The study also found 94% of U.S. college students feel overwhelmed by their coursework, while 75% of high schoolers and 50% of middle schoolers experience constant stress over their homework.
Despite the rise in stress, only 7% of college students seek help from a mental health professional when experiencing stress or depression, the report states.
Bannor said the number may be low for several reasons.
“One reason why students might not seek help is because they are afraid to ask for help, so I think that a part is being afraid to ask for help, or sometimes they don't know where to go to when they have problems,” Bannor said.
Bannor added that while academics often take priority, students should carve out time for themselves and reach out to others when needed.
“When (students) get overwhelmed with things, they can talk to anyone,” Bannor said. “They can talk to well-being coaches. They can talk to people who are around, like their professors, and I think that would help with the stress. Sometimes they just need people to tell them ‘It's okay, it's fine.’ Just words of encouragement would help.”
