Active Minds offers puppies to help relieve stress

Jessica Valeria Rodriguez/Staff Writer

        Active Minds, a University organization dedicated to bringing awareness to students about mental health issues, found a new and creative way to help relieve the stress of finals week that’s around the corner.

They hosted their annual “Finals Oasis” event this past Monday, April 15, where they provided students and faculty with yoga, meditation, food, refreshments, coffee, biofeedback, bubbles and stress relief tips.

There was also an unexpected addition to this list that acted as a stress reliever – puppies. Although it seems out of the ordinary, they had puppies available for students and staff to pet in order to distress themselves. Additionally, all the food and relaxation was free to all Panthers!

They did not regulate the amount of people who could see the dogs and Active Minds verified that were certified therapy dogs, meaning they were approved as safe and friendly to kids and other animals.

The owners brought in two dogs to participate. The choice to have them came from the idea that therapy dogs have been shown to relieve stress and improve the moods of many people.

           It appeared to have worked. Sophomore Carlos Nogues, marketing major, participated in the event and said, “I was impressed with all the activity and treats Active Minds had ready. And after petting the dogs and having a good time, I forgot about the stress of finals week.”

It has been proven that if you keep your head clear for a little bit, you’re able to retain a lot more information the next time you study.

We’ll have to wait for grades to come out to see if this event actually helped, and moreover, if it will happen again next year.

jessica.rodriguez@fiusm.com