Finals will soon be coming. This is a very big week and you can feel the pressure building up. Luckily for you, there are therapy dogs to help you relax and wash your worries away.
Testing time at college can be a pretty stressful time, but SUNY Old Westbury offers activities to help those who need time to breathe de-stress.
In October, the Student Government Association (SGA) and the Division of Student Affairs hosted De-Stress Fest Week events. These included many Old Westbury athletic games, their annual Stay Up at the Union event, and lots more.
But the event that grabbed the most attention: therapy dogs.
Therapy dogs are dogs that have been trained to give people affection, comfort, and support. They are often found at hospitals, disaster areas, retirement homes, nursing homes, and in this case schools.
They are not like service dogs, which are trained to help people with physical disabilities perform tasks they struggle at, according to the American Kennel Club.
There are many benefits to having therapy dogs on campus. The Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD) states that the dogs can lift people’s spirits in a room, occasionally to the point of laughter.
“A visiting therapy dog promotes greater self-esteem and focused interaction with other students and teachers,” said the ATD when describing the social benefits. These benefits can be very helpful in a college setting, especially around midterms or finals week.
When describing how therapy dogs have been used in college the ATD said, “A growing number of colleges across the country offer pet therapy programs that bring therapy dogs to students that need a break from the pressures of school. Many college students are living away from home for the first time and appreciate the comfort brought by therapy dogs.”
The Division of Student Affairs who ran the event with the SGA was reached out to for comment about the therapy dog event on campus but gave no response to questions that were asked.
A student commented on an Instagram post about De-Stress Fest Week, which showed the therapy dogs. “I remember when the pups would come on campus,” she said. At this time, the Instagram post has gained about three hundred and forty-three likes.
The therapy dogs will be brought back to campus. When exactly? There is no official date yet. But SUNY Old Westbury encouraged users on its Instagram post to download the Panther Connect app to keep an eye out for the fun and relaxing event.
“In case you missed it and want to know the next time these adorable pups will be on campus, download the Panther Connect app!” said the campus.
Finals weeks can be very difficult times for college students, especially this year with a pandemic weighing us down. But our cute and fluffy best friends on campus will help give us a bone to pick with stress and anxiety.
