With finals coming up next week, Marist has been hosting events to lower students’ stress levels. 

The counseling department had therapy dogs in the Hynes Gym Thursday during all lunch periods to help students relax. Interacting with animals has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) and lower blood pressure. Marist counselors hope the students’ interactions with the dogs will have a lasting effect as studying ramps up.

“The dogs helped with my stress to take my mind off of finals,” said sophomore Riley Burke. 

Students have also been encouraged to participate in coloring during lunch periods to ease their anxieties. Art supplies heave been available at the center table in the lunchroom all week.

Additionally, Marist counselors briefly interrupted classes last week to provide students with a short video that explained how to manage stress during finals week. The video included information reminding students to set aside time to focus on healing remedies in between studying.