Arts and Life

UA Campus REC kicks off finals week with Zen Day

Taylor Dykstra

April 28, 2023

Students at the Fall 2022 Zen Day play with therapy dogs at the Campus Recreation centers. (Courtesy of Dan Blumenthal, assistant director of marketing and communications at Campus Recreation)

The University of Arizona’s spring semester finals are quickly approaching and Campus Recreation is providing students the opportunity to relax and de-stress with Zen Day.

“The goal of Zen Day really is to help bring some zen, for lack of a better word, during finals,” Frances Lindsey, assistant director of outreach for Campus Recreation, said. “They can really just expect to have some fun, you know, let some of that stress loose.”

Zen Day is an event hosted by Campus Recreation that has been around for several years. It takes place at the end of every semester to provide students with resources to conquer finals week.

According to Lindsey, some of the special activities being offered are pipe cleaner bouquet making, Mother’s Day card making and a Polaroid picture booth at NorthREC. There will also be therapy dogs for students to interact and play with.

Lindsey said the event offers connections, partners and sponsors to provide students with “stress relief and finals help.”

Some of the campus partners that will be at the SouthREC on Zen Day include Campus Health, Think Tank, Student Success & Retention Innovation and Stress Busters, according to Lindsey.

According to Claire Case, engagement and partnerships assistant for Campus Recreation, around 600 people are expected to attend.

“My goal is to get people here and utilize this event that we’re putting on for them, but I hope that the students leaving will feel a sense of relief and walk away with a positive experience and feel a little bit more easy about going into finals week,” Case said.

Zen Day will take place at the SouthREC and NorthREC on May 5 from 3-5 p.m. The event is free and students can expect to find snacks, freebies, crafts and several stress relieving activities.

Students participate in making crafts that were offered at the Campus Recreation centers on the Fall 2022 Zen Day. (Courtesy Dan Blumenthal, assistant director of marketing and communications at Campus Recreation)

“I just want students and community members to have a moment to just like relax and participate in something that’s super easy going,” Jordyn Lakin, engagement and partnerships assistant for Campus Recreation, said. “I want to help build like bridge, that relationship with the Rec that it’s also a place for wellness, not just like to work out.”

More information can be found on the UAZ Campus Recreation website, social media and in the Campus Recreation facilities.

*Taylor Dykstra is a student studying at the University of Arizona School of Journalism taking the JOUR 306: Advanced Reporting class.

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