Students melted their stress away Wednesday with aromatherapy and coloring pages provided by the University Counseling Center.

Students paused their hectic lives to explore fun stress-relief options.

Some were attracted to dazzling mandala coloring pages, choosing their favorite out of the multitude of designs, while others tested essential oils that lined the table, deciding which scents to use in homemade lotion.

No matter what option each student explored, all were eager to relieve stress through creativity.

Bri Fuhrman, a graduate assistant at the counseling center, believes making students slow down is the best purpose of the event.

“You see people rushing in and out of the library. We want to be a reason why they just stop and breathe,” Fuhrman said.

This is the second year the counseling center has provided the event, and there are many more to come. Every other week during the fall semester, the University Counseling Center will be providing stress relief activities for students to take a break from classwork.

Students flipped through different mandala designs, finding ones that piqued their interest. Some had intricate geometric designs, while others incorporated pictures of pumpkins for fall.

Used as a form of meditation to ease tension and increase focus, coloring mandalas is considered a creative option for stress relief according to nourishingtreasures.com. Students enjoyed coloring their favorite pictures, happy to take a mental break from classes.

Many were eager to experience the calming effects of various essential oils.

Known to cure ailments including headaches and muscle tension, essential oils are the popular choice for natural stress relief. Students explored an abundance of fragrance options, including lavender, rosemary and pumpkin. After choosing their favorite scent, students created concoctions of their very own.

A firm believer in natural stress remedies, Fuhrman enjoyed helping the students create original scents with essential oils.

No matter what the activity is, however, Fuhrman believes small moments like these are the best stress relievers.

“I think it’s great to find little things like making lotion and coloring,” Fuhrman said. “It’s important to find stress relief through that.”

With brains rested and spirits lifted, students went on with their days feeling a little more comforted. No matter what a student faces each day, it is clear that taking a mental break for even a few minutes can do a lot for a busy life.

“We’re always here to provide resources for you,” Fuhrman said. “Even if it takes off stress just for your day or semester.”

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