Stress Free Week: A Break from The Chaos

Written by Sarah Quach

MONTREAL, QC (December 7th 2021)

Finals, term-papers, sleepless nights and last-minute assignments, a myriad of students from Dawson College seem to be stuck in an endless cycle of work and tests. The end of the semester is approaching rapidly. Who knew four months could pass so quickly? These past months have been a difficult, and more importantly, stressful period for many. Whether it was the transition from high school to CEGEP or the switch from online learning to on-campus classes, several students faced new challenges throughout the term.  All in all, everyone is going through a great amount of stress and what better way to relieve it than participating in DSU’s stress free event?

“Inhale. Exhale.” 

This year, the union decided to offer many activities: board games, Zootherapy, yoga sessions and art sessions. 

“The events are diverse. There’s a bit of everything for everyone.” -Mai-Annie Huynh

There were various games to play: chess, dominos and a myriad of other board games.

It is never too late to learn a new game!

Child’s Pose, Downward Dog, Cobra Pose… The yoga session was an amazing way to take everyone’s mind off of the hectic weeks to come. Who would have imagined doing yoga at the 3C cafeteria? 

Zootherapy was one of the favourites out there. The DSU got a lot of feedback on how much the students appreciated the activity. Birds, ferrets, hedgehogs, dogs and a variety of other animals from Jimmy Zoo made a splash on campus. Multiple students shared the love through Instagram by sharing adorable snapshots and videos. They were more than thrilled to interact with cute furry friends!

Furthermore, participants of the activities were given raffle tickets to win exciting prizes, including a 110$ value Bota Bota gift card, an Indigo gift card, a David’s Tea box set, a spa gift card, and many more fun prizes. Essentially, the winners were given the opportunity to relax and take some time for self-care. 

“It shows that there’s a lot of thought and effort that goes into it. It’s a unique and interesting event!’’ --Claudia Soplopuco

MORE THAN JUST ACTIVITIES

Volunteers from the DSU were extremely pleased with the students’ enthusiasm! Moreover, many students were given the chance to interact with new people from campus and make friends! Like all the other exciting events hosted by the DSU, the goal was to offer Dawson’s students a chance to make great memories on campus and new friendships while learning new skills or exploring new interests. These events are about building a strong community of students and spreading love. Stress Free Week was no different to the other events; it was a complete success!

All in all, do not forget to take some time off from school, relax and enjoy the present! Mental health matters and it is crucial! 

“I appreciate that the school thinks about our mental health.”--Jennifer Lu

The DSU community wishes everyone a fantastic end of semester and wonderful holidays! 

For more information about Stress Free Week, please visit 

On December 29th and 30th, the Dawson Student Union hosted one of their last events of the fall semester: Stress Free Week. It was the perfect opportunity for the students to relax and take a moment away from their studies. Students were welcomed to join activities such as yoga, art sessions, Zootherapy and board games. They all took place in 5B.16, the 3C cafeteria and Conrad’s.