UCA students set down their textbooks and laptops for mocktails and temporary tattoos at “The Finals Countdown” Wednesday, April 15.
Housing and Residence Life hosted the event, designing it to help students manage stress with various stations and activities.
Among the games and interactive tables, students could put on temporary tattoos, drink mocktails and decorate small potted succulents.
Students could also make their own essential oils, draft up study plans for finals, color and create stress balls.
Gabe Awbrey, a resident assistant in Bear Hall, said the event was intended to give students an opportunity to take a break from academic pressures while also strengthening connections within the campus community.
“It’s a more stressful time with exams, so this is a way to provide an alternative environment,” Awbrey said.
Awbrey said that the event also plays a role in helping students build relationships with housing staff.
“I think it’s important for students to come to events like this so they can… touch base with the housing staff and get to know them a little bit more,” Awbrey said. “Ultimately, housing’s vision is to promote an environment where residents can thrive and be successful.”
Awbrey said that informal settings like “The Finals Countdown” can create opportunities for interactions that may not happen in everyday campus spaces.
“It helps show that the campus can be welcoming,” Awbrey said.
Seiya Nishimura, another resident assistant in Bear Hall, said the event reflects Housing and Residence Life’s broader mission of fostering community among residents.
“As housing staff, our mission is to build community and create an environment where residents feel supported,” Nishimura said.
The event was designed to provide a space where students could step away from academic demands while still feeling connected to campus resources, according to Nishimura.
For students in attendance, the event offered a mix of relaxation and interaction with peers.
“It’s really fun,” junior elementary education major Meghan Dorris said. “I liked the temporary tattoos and painting pots.”
Dorris said she was encouraged to visit “The Finals Countdown” because of her connections with housing staff and friends involved in the program.
“It’s the college experience: you meet people, you make friends…” Dorris said. “I feel like the housing community, especially in Bear Hall, [has] such a great staff, and I just love all of them.”
Dorris said events like this can provide an alternative to spending time alone during busy academic periods.
“I feel like when I sit in my room, I just become depressed,” Dorris said. “I need social activities, and I think it’s healthy … so these are a great way to do that.”
Dorris encourages students across campus to participate in events like “The Finals Countdown.”
“I think, especially when you’re a freshman, you should go to as many student life events as you can,” Dorris said.
Awbrey said the goal of events like “The Finals Countdown” is to ensure that students feel supported as they navigate academic challenges while still having opportunities for engagement outside of the classroom.
“It’s a stressful time with exams, but we want to show that the campus can still be a fun environment,” he said.
