SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — With the midterm season underway, students at Syracuse University are experiencing heightened stress.
The pressure to excel is strong, pushing students to their limits. Many juggle classes, work and personal commitments.
“There’s a little bit of a dip in my mental health with midterms. It’s mostly just kind of the stressors of making sure I’m getting the good grades while maintaining the other elements, the other activities that I’m doing,” said Tommy Tyree, a sophomore citizen engagement major.
To help students cope, the campus offers daily pet therapy sessions, providing a fun and relaxing way to unwind.
“I started going to pet therapy, and I loved it. And the stress actually became less intense because all I can think about is doggies, doggies, doggies, doggies every Thursday,” said Elizabeth Flaherty, a sophomore.
Students find that spending time with therapy dogs not only eases their stress but also serves as a much-needed distraction from their academic pressures.
“It definitely makes a positive impact. I think that you know, animals, especially these therapy dogs, are so well trained that it’s like they’re such, like a positive source of energy,” said Ryan Seal, a freshman advertising major.
But it’s not just academics causing stress. Dessa Bergen-Cico, a professor of public health, said that various concerns affect students’ well-being.
“Am I in a major that I’m not happy with? Am I in over my head? Do I need tutorial support services? Do I not see meaning in what I’m doing? Am I working too much, therefore I can’t do what I need to in school?” she said.
As the midterm season intensifies, counselors encourage students to seek help, manage their time effectively and prioritize self-care.
For more information about the resources offered by the Barnes Center, please visit their website at experience.syracuse.edu/bewell or call them at (315) 443-8000.