To help ease student stresses during a tense time, several free Wellness Wednesday initiatives will be held on campus March 29 and April 5.

“It’s the last week of classes and people are stressed out and overwhelmed,” said Jaclyn-Rae Tanguay, special events co-ordinator with the Brock University Students’ Union. “We want to be there to help.”

With exams on the horizon, she’s hopeful people will take a few minutes out of their busy schedule to take advantage of the various offerings.

Wednesday, March 29 will kick off with a free breakfast from 7:30 to 10 a.m. at Isaac’s Bar and Grill.

Free fruit will also be offered throughout the day at the General Brock store.

Student Life and Community Experience is hosting a Charity Car Smash in support of MADD Canada from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Participants can exchange a $2 donation for two chances to smash the vehicle that will be sitting in the field in front of Schmon Tower.

Free massages and free chiropractic check-ups, hosted by the Student Wellness and Accessibility Centre and BUSU respectively, will take place in Skybar Lounge from 1 to 5 p.m.

The centre is also bringing the popular puppy room, which allows students to interact with St. John Ambulance therapy dogs, to the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

The day will conclude with We Love Laser Tag in the Bob Davis Gymnasium from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Participants will receive two games of laser tag in exchange for a $5 donation to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

All of the Wellness Wednesday events are meant to be quick drop-in initiatives that require little time commitment from students, said Tanguay, in her third year of Business Communication.

“It’s a chance for them to stop in for half an hour, get refreshed and then get back to studying,” she said. “It’s a great cause. It’s been really well received.”

Wellness Wednesday will return April 5 for the final time this term.

The puppy room will return to the main campus from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Pond Inlet and free fruit will again be offered throughout the day at General Brock.

Thirty-minute paddleboarding sessions will be offered at the pool from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants must sign up in advance at the Walker Complex Welcome Desk.

An art therapy class be held in Isaac’s from 2 to 5 p.m., with canvases set up for students to drop in and create whatever they please using supplied materials.

If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, support is available on campus.

Student Health Services, located in Harrison Hall next to Campus Security, can be reached at 905-688-5550, ext. 3243, and personal counselling, in Schmon Tower 400, at ext. 3240.

For more information, visit brockmentalhealth.ca.