SAB Stuff a Plush event helps students cope with end-of-semester stress

Garrett Burton

As the semester winds down, is there a better way to take your mind off the stresses of your courses than stuffing and dressing your own stuffed animal?  Probably not!

On April 4, The Student Activities Board hosted its Stuff a Plush event from 12-2pm at Barker Plaza, just outside the Gatton Student Center. Students were given the opportunity to take a break from walking to class and build their own stuffed animal.

Stuff a Plush is just one of the many events that the Student Activities Board hosts on a regular basis throughout the semester. Each of these events provide a unique experience for students to enjoy and take their mind off their courses.

Students weren’t the only ones welcome at the event. Numerous parents with their children attended and built their own stuffed animal as well.

With the event being held around lunch time, and it being directly outside the student center, there was a large turnout. Student participants like Johnathan Rickett, a senior majoring in neuroscience, and Kristen Wells, a sophomore majoring in marketing, have gone to these SAB events before.

“A lot of them (events) are cool, but this is the second time I’ve done this, because I did it during K week and I really wanted to do it again,” said Wells.

Both Kristen and Johnathan agreed saying this was their “favorite event”.

Though there were quite a bit of SAB event veterans, there were also some freshman enjoying their first event, like Zachary Coleman, a computer science major.

 “This is the first one (event) I’ve gone to, this is really cool,” he said. 

When asked if he would be going to more of these events, Coleman gave a very decisive yes. He said he was amazed at the turnout, saying there was already a massive amount of people there when he arrived, right at its start. 

Bailey Beet, a junior nursing major, is the SAB member who oversaw the event. She was no rookie when it came to running the show.

 “I’ve been on SAB since I was a freshman, having different positions throughout. I have been director of campus life and now I am director of traditions,” Beet said.

The SAB understands when to have these events, knowing that students are stressed with assignments and exams near the end of the semester. 

“We like to make sure that students understand that we have resources for them,” Beet said.

The Student Activities Board will be hosting their next event, Shirt Shack, on Monday, April 8 from, 3-5 p.m. Students will be able to design their own shirts with a bevy of different craft ideas.