JCSU Introduces ‘Zen Den’ to Combat Student Stress

In response to rising considerations about psychological well being, Johnson C. Smith College has unveiled the “Zen Den,” a tranquil area designed to supply respite from the pressures of school life. Situated within the Edward E. Crutchfield Heart for Built-in Research, this meditation room goals to help college students and college alike in managing stress throughout their busy educational lives. 

Greater than half of American school college students report power stress ranges, which might severely influence their day by day habits and well-being. That’s the reason JCSU Dean Anita Bledsoe-Gardner spearheaded the initiative.“The Zen Den is a meditation room that serves as a devoted area for practising mindfulness, meditation, and contemplation,” Bledsoe-Gardner defined. The room options pillows, rugs, and wall hangings, making a peaceable ambiance for contemplation.

Stress ranges can attain essential factors as college students juggle coursework, jobs, and different tasks, notably throughout examination durations. Analysis signifies that 69% of social science college students view exams as a major stressor. The Zen Den affords a sanctuary for college kids to unwind, with strict pointers to make sure a peaceable atmosphere—no digital gadgets or verbal communication are allowed throughout meditation.

“The aim of such a room is to supply an atmosphere for college, workers, and college students that helps people focus, chill out, and domesticate a way of inside peace,” mentioned Bledsoe-Garner. 

Along with serving college students, the Zen Den caters to school and workers by addressing their psychological well being wants, which, in accordance with the Nationwide Schooling Affiliation, are similar to these of scholars. Month-to-month guided meditation classes, led by in-residence counselor Ms. Tierra Parsons, will happen each second Thursday at midday. With operational hours spanning Monday to Friday, together with designated occasions for quiet reflection and Muslim prayer, the Zen Den guarantees to boost the general well-being of the JCSU group. As Bledsoe-Gardner notes, “The JCSU Zen Den may open up a world of prospects.”