By Maddyx Bride, Staff Writer
// On Dec. 12, Acalanes’ Leadership class hosted Stress Busters in the front quad, an event with activities and strategies to help students manage stress before finals week.
Stress Busters takes place every year at Acalanes during finals week. Leadership’s Student Support board planned the event, which involves various stress reducing activities.
This year, the activities ranged from stress ball making, to therapy dogs. Snacks and refreshments were also offered to those who attended.
“It [Stress Busters] offers students activities and therapy dogs, and strategies that they can use, the Monday before finals, but also ongoing techniques. It’s fun and lighthearted, hopefully takes a little bit of stress away from the day and week ahead,” Leadership teacher Katherine Walton said.
Student Support members saw the added pressure associated with finals week as an opportunity to help students with their stress.
“Finals is a very stressful time of year for pretty much all of the students, so we like to have stress busters every year to have a place at the beginning of the week where students can destress and have fun, and start the week on a good note,” Student Support Board Head and senior Amelia Morgan said.
Students enjoyed the event, as it serves as an opportunity to help relieve the stress which comes with finals week.
“I think stress busters is really cool. It is important especially with finals coming around. You have to study, and you don’t want to get too stressed,” sophomore Joe Terhar said.
One of the most popular aspects of Stress Busters is the opportunity to play with therapy dogs.
“I really like it because I have a love for dogs, and I don’t have a dog at home, so it is fun to come out with friends and be able to play with the dogs for a bit before finals,” junior Nicole Parlett said.
Overall, students appreciated this year’s Stress Busters session, as it not only served as an opportunity for them to de-stress, but also a time to bond and have fun with their peers.
“I think Stress Busters is a good event to have, and it is fun for everyone,” junior Isabelle Quinn said.
Graphic by Gabi Gruber, Online Editor-In-Chief