Ryan Morgan
Residents sat relaxed in one of four massage chairs in Conn. Hall Lobby recently. The Day of Relaxation, hosted by the Inter-Residence Council at Southern, featured free five-minute massages meant to help students rest before midterms.
“It is a chance for kids to relax,” said Lindsay Isner, a sophomore business major and member of IRC. “We’re helping them get over the hump and make it through midterms.”
The event is one of many planned during IRC’s “Hump Week,” referring to the stressful time many students are currently faced with. Rafael Cordwell, IRC advisor, said the goal of IRC is to put on new and creative programs that help students.
“Basically we’re giving students an opportunity to relax, unwind and go to their classes rejuvenated,” said Cordwell. “Students get too tense before midterms so we just wanted to find a way to help them relax before a test.”
Isner said IRC planned the event through a series of meetings and phone calls with a variety of massage artists before finally picking five to appear at the event. While IRC planned and hoped to have food at the event, it did not end up happening. But with free massages and T-shirts, students like junior public health major, Laura Jimenez, said the event was really good.
“There is just so much stress with midterms and everything. I had two tests last week,” said Jimenez. “This will help me relax. Even after a five-minute massage I feel so much better. If I don’t fall asleep, I’ll even study after this.”
Jimenez’s only complaint: a lack of music. Brittany Bucko, a freshman athletic training major, agreed. She found the massages to be very healing. After being overworked and sore, Bucko said the massage loosened up her muscles and made her feel much better.
Margaret Bilinski, a chiropractic hospital therapist, was one of five artists giving massages.
“We’re mostly looking to increase the student’s circulation,” said Bilinski. “However, this is not an ideal setting. It would be better in a peaceful area where students could concentrate on their breathing, but we are relieving stress in the students’ muscles. At such a stressful time, increasing circulation will increase flexibility and just make them feel better.”
Erica Giannitti, a sophomore education major, attended not only the Day of Relaxation but other events in the IRC Hump Week as well.
“I’m so stressed and I’m just hoping to relax,” said Giannitti. “I think it’s a good event, they do a really good job.”
Cordwell said these annual events, such as Hump Week, are a great thing for IRC programming and the student body.
“IRC wants to plan events their peers can benefit from. The Day of Relaxation is a great way to help students relax before midterms,” Cordwell said.
