It’s that time of year again. Our days are getting shorter, busier and more stressful. Although some may see this as a time to hibernate, it’s actually the perfect time to ask for help.

The Counseling Center, located on the second floor of the Student Success Center, is a free resource that’s always there for you when you need help. With the extra stress that comes with midterms, finals and seasonal depression, now is the perfect time to get connected with the Counseling Center. 

One of the best ways to get connected with and acclimated to the center is through their many wellness spaces. These spaces provide a sanctuary for whatever you feel like you need, whether that be comfort, creativity, calm or if you need a second to “just breathe.”

These four rooms are broken down into two categories: mindfulness spaces and self-care spaces. These rooms can be accessed by appointment and some of them require you to be connected with the center in some way. Oftentimes, that just means a completed intake appointment. 

These mindfulness spaces are “all about being present and feeling your emotions and the world around you” according to Leah Folks, the associate director of the Counseling Center. 

As of right now, there’s only one mindfulness space called the “Just Breathe” room. This space is all about encouraging students to be present in the moment by curating a cozy atmosphere fit with a giant bean bag, mood lighting and a massage chair. This room can be booked through an appointment and you can choose if you want to explore the space guided or individually.

The other set of rooms are called “self-care spaces” and motivate students to take care of themselves in various ways. 

The first of these rooms is the create room, which encourages clients to use creativity to soothe and take care of themselves. Designed for clients of the Counseling Center, this room is adorned with adult coloring books, various art supplies, tons of sensory items such as fidgets and journals that you can take home with you.

Next is the comfort room, a space curated to limit unnecessary stimuli and, of course, provide comfort. Designed for people with neurodivergence such as autism, ADHD and more, this room was created to create a neutral space for people who get overstimulated easily, or just for neurotypical people that are craving a sense of comfort away from home. 

This is all achieved by implementing noise-canceling headphones, warm, adjustable lighting, weighted blankets, and more fidgets. This room is also designated for clients, so make sure to make that first appointment and mention this particular room if you’d like to use it. 

Last, but certainly not least, is the calm room. This is a personal favorite of mine as someone who holds stress in their body, as the star of the show is this incredible full-body massage chair. The massage chair is remote-controlled so you can pick what kind of massage you want, and it even connects to bluetooth so you can listen to your favorite tunes while relaxing. 

While relaxing, getting a full-body massage and listening to your favorite music, you can also put some essential oils in their oil diffuser and look at the calming full-length mural of the forest on the wall.

A common mistake students make around this time of year is dropping their mental health as a priority as a result of more demanding tasks and to-do’s. While I understand this mindset and have enacted it myself, it is not accurate by any means.  

This time of year is actually when you should be focusing on your mental health the most. For one, it’s easier to focus on and succeed in your classes if you’re not preoccupied with mental health strains. 

Another reason you should be taking your mental health more seriously is because it is likely in jeopardy now more than ever with the lack of sleep and vitamin D along with all of the other added stress that comes with being a student during midterms and finals.

So, do yourself a favor and give the counseling center a visit. It’ll definitely help with the seasonal depression and any other mental strains, and it may even improve your grades.