With only a few weeks left of the 2024 fall semester and finals quickly approaching, students tend to get stressed and search for resources to help them cope during this hectic time. 

UNF offers many resources on-campus for students to use to de-stress all year-round. These include the Student Wellness Complex providing students with physical activities to engage in; the UNF Counseling Center where students can meet in groups or access resources individually; and an on-campus game room with digital and board game options.

The UNF Recreation and Wellness website says, “Exercise has been shown to boost your mood and decrease feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress.” With an Osprey1Card, students can use the Student Wellness Complex to do various exercises. The Student Wellness Complex offers a gym, pool, indoor track and more.

The Student Wellness Complex has group fitness classes Nov. 1 to Dec. 6. There are also monthly events including “Express-o Yourself” on Nov. 25, noon to 2 p.m.

“We’re going to do journaling and will have tips about expressing your emotions to help relieve stress and help regulate you,” Ashley Epstein-Muench, UNF Health Education Coordinator, said. 

The Student Wellness Complex also hosts other events including a recent Harvest Fest at the Ogier Gardens that took place Friday, Nov. 8. It included Taco Lu, live bands and games for students to participate in. 

“I think a lot of students don’t realize quite how much is included in their Osprey1Card and how many things they can do that are in recreation and wellness,” Muench said. 

The UNF Counseling Center offers resources for both on- and off-campus students, including bibliotherapy, group therapy, individual therapy and podcasts. All of these are available for students’ academic or personal growth and can be participated in virtually or in person. 

A variety of book recommendations can be found on the Brooks College of Health “Biblio-Therapy” webpage. The topics range from acceptance, commitment, body positivity, ADHD, anxiety, stress, psychology and more. A variety of podcast recommendations can also be found on the Brooks College of Health “Podcasts” webpage.

The schedule for group therapy can be found here. There are different workshops including Understanding Self and Others, LGBTQ+ Process Group, Expressive Therapy Process Group, The Insight Circle and more. 

UNF also has a game room on campus in the John A. Delaney Student Union, Building 58E, Room 1200. It is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 12 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

The game room has Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, board games and hub games. All the games offered at the game room can be found here. 

Students have access to numerous resources that can help with distressing as the end of the semester nears.