The Spur

Issue date: 11/16/05 Section: News

Media Credit: Janam Bhaukajee Students enjoy playing a game at the Stress-Less Fair. Various booths were set up for students in the upper Student Center.

Juggling classes, assignments, work and personal, can leave college students stressed. The Stress-Less fair, held in the Student Center Nov. 8-9, offered solutions.

"Some students don't have any idea at all how to deal with this stress. Some have behaviors that are unhealthy that they use to reduce stress," said Jennifer Rogers, student coordinator of the event.

Rogers, a senior theatre and sociology student, participated in a one-credit independent study taught by Wellness and Human Performance professor Ellen Radel focused on teaching people to mitigate their stress. Radel led Rogers, Angela Carruthers, a sophomore studying psychology and three other students in organizing the event, which attracted hundreds of people from the Southwest Minnesota State University and Marshall communities.

Stress-less offered "wonderful opportunities to relax and learn how to manage stress in new and exciting ways," Radel said in an email invitation to the campus.

"The students wanted to host this program to bring awareness about their own stress and ways they can relieve it," Rogers said.

Fair-goers enjoyed yoga, pilates, step aerobics, relaxation techniques, dodgeball, aromatherapy and relaxing teas.

"The stress-fair was planned with good information in a lot of areas to help students and other community members," said Susan Jones, assistant professor of business and public affairs. "I was so glad to see a tremendous turnout of students for this event."

The SMSU Tae Kwan Do Club performed during the fair. Club members lined up across the front of the Student Center in an impressive show of this form of martial arts that requires immense control and helps relieve stress.

On the other end of the room, fair-goers made stress balls out of balloons and flour. Squeezing the flour-filled balloon helps to relieve anxiety and tension. Booths offering ideas for stress management were also hosted by Western Mental Health Center, SIGMA-Investment Club, the Marshall YMCA, the Complete Natural Store in Marshall, Curves exercise center and Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center.

"Homework and managing time with friends around the work schedule creates stress," said Kari Beumer, a sophomore elementary education student who worked at the Curves booth during the fair.

"The stress-less fair opens up your eyes to different types of health care relaxations," said Kari Pohlen, massage therapy instructor from Minnesota West who, along with her students, offered free chair and table massages.

"[This was a] great opportunity to learn to handle stress and enjoy time between classes," said Megan Galligan, a physical and health education student who worked at the Campus Crusade for Christ booth taking prayer requests from students and offering information on how spiritual fellowship can help relieve stress.

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