Dogs, bunnies and miniature horses are coming to the University of Minnesota’s Coffman Memorial Union on Thursday, October. 27 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Make Time to PAWS will introduce students to dozens of activities designed to reduce stress and maintain good mental health.
The Great Hall in Coffman will transform into a park with clouds, trees and teams of therapy animals from the popular weekly campus program, Pet Away Worry and Stress (PAWS). Organizers expect 3,000 students at the event.
Thirty-five percent of UMN students report they are unable to manage their stress levels, according to a survey conducted by Boynton Health. There appears to be a relationship between unmanaged stress levels and higher rates of diagnosis for acute conditions as well as mental health conditions.
“When we help students learn how to manage stress, it can improve their ability to succeed and thrive in college,” said Gary Christenson, M.D., Boynton’s Chief Medical Officer. “Make Time to PAWS draws students in for the fun while introducing them to actions they can take to manage stress throughout their lives.”
Doors open at 11:00 a.m. when students can pet the therapy animals and try origami, a labyrinth, coloring, meditation, yoga and a host of other activities.
For more information, visit http://www.bhs.umn.edu/events/make-time-to-paws/index.htm.
Boynton Health serves the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus through medical services and a public health approach to campus well-being.
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