Student Accessibility Services gave students an opportunity to de-stress and “Color for Calmness” at its event yesterday in the library. 

“Coloring has been shown to calm the brain, decrease heart rate and to stay present in the moment,” Access Consultant Adam Nowicki said. “Coloring also is a great way to work through feelings of anxiety and depression.”

SAS first introduced Color for Calmness in Oct. 2022 during Disability Awareness Month and was a success in helping students in a positive way with it being a beneficial distraction.

The event usually ranges from three to 20 students, but all students are welcome to attend the event, not only SAS students, according to Accessibility Specialist James Trombka.

Trombka said this was the seventh or eighth time SAS has done the event between midterms and finals.

“It is a low-lit environment, it’s quiet [and] we have white noise machines,” Trombka said. “Students can go in there for 15 minutes or even for an hour to completely de-stress from everything that students have been holding in.”

Trombka also said SAS tries to find the right time and day for students to come and attend where it wouldn’t be too much of a stress to their work or school schedule for them to come.

For junior communication studies major Markus Blankenship, their first time at Color for Calmness was “a positive experience.”

With Blankenship working at the SAS center, after their shift they decided to experience the event first hand. 

“It’s nice to just take a break, relax and destress a little bit,” Blankenship said.

Blankenship said the event is easily accessible and easy for students to go to when they need a break from the stresses in their lives. 

“It’s really cool to see the different ways that students are destressing in there,” Blankenship said. “It’s cool to see students come in a group setting and there’s also individuals who come in, and they are definitely taking advantage of the opportunity to relax and destress.”

SAS will have two more “Color for Calmness” events this semester, April 5 and 19, in the SAS conference room.

Angelia Kellhofer is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].