UCLA student-athletes relieved pre-finals stress with a puppy party at the J.D. Morgan Center on Wednesday evening. The Pre-Finals Puppy Party was sponsored by the UCLA SAMs (Student-Athlete Mentors) and BAC (Bruin Athletic Council) to help student-athletes relieve some of the stress they were feeling from their upcoming winter quarter finals.
Over 200 student-athletes took time out of their studies to participate in the puppy party, where they were able to play with puppies and grab food and snacks. SAMs also provided flyers to help student-athletes with effective stress management, cognitive coping statements, and drop-in hours for CAPS (counseling and psychological services).
Gymnast Mikaela Gerber stated, "It's a great way to de-stress because you can take a short break from all the studying to hold something warm, soft and absolutely adorable! And when they cuddle with you, it makes everything better!”
Football player Alex Van Dyke said, "It was a great experience. The puppies were cute and definitely took care of any stress I was feeling at the moment.”
"This was by far our most successful student-athlete-run event," said Ric Coy, Associate Director Academic Student Services. “My favorite part was watching the student-athletes go from big, tough student-athletes to five year-old kids. They loved the event, and stress levels dropped.”
Final exams for UCLA students officially begin on Monday, Mar. 14.
#UCLA student-athletes had a Pre-Finals Puppy Party last night. #stressrelief 🐶 https://t.co/il3VaPBmAm pic.twitter.com/IybDbel9NS
— UCLA Athletics (@UCLAAthletics) March 10, 2016