“This is the best time of your life!” they say. “Youth is wasted on the young!” they complain. Well, if any of these people actually remembered college, they’d know that even though it’s one of the funnest times in your life, it’s also a quagmire of emotional turmoil.
Grades alone are enough to make you go crazy, but coupled with friendship drama, relationship issues (DOES HE LIKE ME?!), and the imminent real world approaching, even the most level-headed student can become stressed out. Fittingly, colleges extol the importance of support groups and their offerings of free counseling sessions. But one university managed to find the only true way to relieve stress: a puppy room.
Let us say that again: A PUPPY ROOM!!!!
The blog Neatorama reports that The University of Central Lancashire in the UK created puppy room where students can go to relieve stress during final exam season. As part of the “SOS” (Stressed Out Students) program, the student union partnered with Guide Dogs Charity — who are bringing the puppies — to hold an event on May 7th on their campus. According to The Independent, the puppy room will have to be booked in advance to ensure that the number of students can be limited. All you need to attend is to RSVP, and donate £1 to the Guide Dogs Charity.
It might seem a bit overwhelming for the puppies to be surrounded by so many students, however, the event’s Facebook page makes it clear that the puppies will be well taken care of:
“The puppies will have regular breaks throughout the 3 hours and be with their handlers at all times. We have set up a separate chill out room for the puppies as well if they need it.”
We’ve heard about therapy dogs in disaster areas, hospitals and nursing homes. Finals Week seems like a sensible next step. Why didn’t we have puppies back when we were in colleges?