ISU counselors offering week of activities to help students deal with midterm stress

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– Idaho State University's Counseling and Mental Health Center has organized events this week to encourage students to take breaks and take care of their mental well being during midterm testing.

"With each semester, we see students start to, around midterm time, really get a sense of feeling anxious and maybe slightly burnt out, especially since we're in the spring semester," said Amber Greening, senior staff clinician at ISU's Counseling and Mental Health Center. "Having events where we're out there, and letting students know that we exist and that there are things that... they can do to help themselves feel better is important around this time."

On Monday, university counselors hosted the 'Pebbles of Positivity' rock painting activity in the Pond Student Union building, where students had the opportunity to paint rocks and meet with mental health professionals about their study stresses.

Greening and her colleagues have also partnered with ISU's Student Recreation and Wellness Center to put together the 'Midterm De-Stress Fest' at Reed Gym on Wednesday.

The De-Stress Fest will feature free mental health activities like massages, meditation, and a chance for students to play with a therapy dog and talk to campus counselors.

"It's key that we kind of check in with students and... do these activities to let them know that we're here so that they can recognize, 'oh, I'm going through a hard moment right now–this will change,'" said Greening.

For more information on mental health services on campus, you can visit ISU's Counseling and Mental Health Center website. The Midterm De-Stress Fest will take place on Wednesday, March 5 from 10am to 4pm at Reed Gym, for more information you can visit the ISU Events Calendar online.