This year’s end of the semester pajama party hosted by BGSU’s Office of Health and Wellness created a stress-free and fun environment for students to relax before a busy week.
The event held at the Student Recreation Center was packed with attractions including Stuff-a-Plush, where the first 200 students to arrive could make their own cute stuffed animal, as well as crafts, a pajama contest and a visit from the PAWS therapy dogs. The event also included tabling from various campus organizations and offices for students to snag free goodies and also learn about their upcoming events.
The pajama party is put on each year as a way for students to forget about the end of the semester stress and kick off the holiday season.
“As we approach November and December, students forget to take care of themselves. I think our little pajama party is a great way for students to get out of their dorm, reduce some of that isolation, get to know people and just have a good time overall,” said Rae Cook, graduate assistant for belonging and engagement with BGSU’s Center for Student Connections and Opportunity (CSCO)
Reagan Zehnder, senior at BGSU and feminist ambassador for the Center for Women and Gender Equity (CWGE), stated that it was important to table with CWGE at the event to spread the word about it to students.
“My favorite part of us being here is getting to spread the messages about what we do. We are out here today talking about body positivity and body acceptance, self love, consent, the importance of consent and having safe and healthy boundaries,” Zehnder said. “I think it’s a really good way to bring people together and have a good time before a really stressful week that’s ahead of us.”
Mitchell Thatcher, graduate assistant for the Office of Health and Wellness, explained what went into the planning of the event.
“It’s a lot of intricate little work to make sure everything is done right,” Thatcher said. “But in the end, it becomes a fun little event for people to enjoy.”
Thatcher explained that the pajama party is to remind students that they will make it out okay after the busiest week of the semester.
“I feel like people work themselves up to be so stressed for that final week, even though most of the time you are going to be fine,” Thatcher said. “I think something like this finally gets your mind off of it for a second, so that you can get back into it and feel like okay, maybe I will be okay.”
To learn more about future events from the Office of Health and Wellness, visit https://www.bgsu.edu/recwell/wellness-connection/special-events.html
