By 
By: ALICIA FLORES
Staff Writer
aaflores@umail.iu.edu
It’s the time of the year again where holidays are right around the corner along with those final projects and examinations. At this point you may be ready to pull your hair out from the stress and exhaustion that stem from these type of things. We all know the feels, and the Honors Program wants to help keep you going.
Students in the Honors Program at IU South Bend have recently started the Titan Relaxation Center which is open to students from 1 to 4 p.m. every Tuesday in Student Activities Center Room 206.
The center is a place where students can go relax, study, meditate, play games like UNO and play video games. Air mattresses are also provided for those wishing to nap.
“It stemmed from the need of a service project,” said junior Jacob Cryer. “So myself and four other people wanted to create a program on campus and that became the Titan Relaxation Center.”
The Honors Program requires each student to complete 10 hours of service per semester.
Senior, Kaylee Lemert came up with the idea while brainstorming what type of service the IUSB community would need.
“All students are stressed. In fact, I don’t think I have met a single person on campus who wouldn’t want-slash-need to come to a place like this,” said Lemert. “Sometimes I think that school can be too overwhelming and demanding, so I wanted to build a community where people could just step away from the crazy and get a chance to breathe. In this community, it is my hope that people realize that no matter what life throws at them, there are people that care about them. When coming up with what to put in the relaxation center, my group and I just brainstormed of all the fun things that college students love.”
While Lemert came up with the main idea, her group members each brought their resources to the table as they all serve on multiple organizations.
“Kaylee is the idea and everyone else is like the resources—we are all the driving force,” said Cryer.
Although the center is primarily run by Lemert’s group they collaborate with other organizations and services. Titan Productions, Titan Success Center and the Student Counseling Center contribute services because the relaxation center has no budget of its own.
Titan Productions provides the air mattresses while the Titan Success Center has someone there offering services to students. The group has met with the counselors from the Counseling Center in an effort to raise awareness of the project, and the center has offered to post their flyer.
“Not having funding would be the only thing that is holding us back, but that is why we collaborate with everyone,” said Cryer.
Cryer offers meditation, something he has practiced throughout his life, he said.
“I would recommend a college student to meditate because we are all under great stressors from school, work and life,” said Cryer. “Sometimes we can’t handle it, but meditation is one tool that can reduce stress and help make life manageable. Also a quick meditation breathing exercise before a speech or exam can make a difference with anxiety.”
Currently the center is a fall project but Lemert and Cryer both hope it will continue in the spring.
“It is my dream that the Titan Relaxation Center becomes a permanent thing on campus. I want it to be somewhere that students can just go and take a break and have fun, even if just for a moment,” said Lemert. “While I am still attending IUSB, I would love to be a part in helping this grow even further. It would be nice to make this a room where students could go any day of the week, but this is all still a work in progress.”
The Titan Relaxation Center is open to any student and Lemert strongly encourages students to utilize it.
“I hope that the word is spread about Titan Relaxation Center so that more students are able to enjoy it in whatever way that they need,” said Lemert.
The Honors students plan on working with Titan Productions to bring their Rest and Relax event to the Titan Relaxation Center on Tuesday, Dec. 6. They will announce other details soon.
