UC Berkeley students tend to shut down during dead week. They retreat to the library, where the blinding fluorescent lights replace natural sunlight and the only distraction from their studies is to refill their reusable water bottles and use the restrooms. Consumed by stress, students forget that a plethora of events is occurring outside the bubble that is finals. With all the readings to catch up on, study guides to review and final papers to write, students forget that life is moving on around them. We at the Clog believe it’s imperative that students assuage their stress by taking semiproductive study breaks. By productive, we mean taking the time to debrief about the school year and replenish one’s motivation and energy. We scoped out some events hosted on and around campus that are perfect for destressing.
Tuesday
Did you forget that it’s only two weeks before Christmas? The muted walls of the library may not indicate so, but it’s not too late to join in on the festivities. Come celebrate and build some gingerbread houses with fellow students stressing over finals.
Wednesday
“Revitalizing Your Super Power,” the last of the Wonder Women Wednesday series hosted by the Gender Equity Resource Center, is happening Wednesday. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by school work, go chat and drink mocktails with some female campus leaders and find comfort in the empowering community of accomplished individuals from all walks of life.
Thursday
Remember the time when a few llamas invaded Memorial Glade and you couldn’t avoid seeing these friendly but confused grazers on your friends’ Snapchats? This time, your friends will be recording 10-second segments of pigs, ducks, goats and bunnies. Berkeley Hillel will be hosting a Cute and Cuddly Petting Zoo Study Break, so walk on over to Bancroft Way and pet your stress away.
Friday
On Friday, more than a few hundred people will congregate to share their ugliest Christmas sweaters with one another in San Francisco. If you’re tired of attending frat parties and want to surround yourself with people who are as eager about well-knitted and strange looking sweaters as you are, then check out this event.
