You wouldn’t want to 1)smuggle one of these into the exam hall, but allowing students to pet farm animals is having a tangible calming effect at this stressful time.
Student: I’m not very good at coping with this stress. I’m quite, I just get really stressed, and then take it out on everyone else. My friends all agree with me.
It’s all part of Bath Spa University’s “Stamp Out Stress” campaign.
Emma Weskin (Bath Spa Student Union): Stress can be one of, like, the main causes of mental health problems, and at this time of year a lot of students get really stressed, 2)bogged down with, like, 3)dissertations and deadlines and exams, and it’s kind of, and students forget to, kind of, take breaks, and it’s OK to take breaks, and you need to take breaks.
Health checks, massages, music, de-stressing techniques and tips are in plentiful supply here.
From primary schools doing 4)SATs right through to university finals, this is a testing time for so many young people, and for some the pressure is just too much.
Finbarr Sheehan (Mental Health Adviser): I don’t think we take it seriously enough at all, and stress anxiety is something about worrying about the future, what’s gonna happen, and an overemphasis on that. Depression can be seen as an over-emphasis on the past, so why we’re having animals here is to actually people just connect with the here and now, who they are, and enjoy the sunshine and enjoy the fact that they are young at university.
So, when you’re sitting in that exam hall, you may feel control is beyond your reach, but breathe, relax and, of course, read the questions carefully.

你大概不會真想將這些動物偷偷帶到考場,不過,在如此緊張的時期讓學生和農畜打成一片確實能起到一定的鎮靜效果。
學生:我不太擅長應對壓力。我會很……我覺得壓力特別大,然后就會把氣撒在別人頭上。我的朋友們也有類似的問題。
這些都是(英國)巴斯思巴大學“消滅壓力”活動的部分內容。
艾瑪·韋斯金(巴斯思巴學生會):壓力是心理健康問題的主要成因之一,每年一到這個時候,許多學生都會感覺壓力很大,被論文、截止日以及考試等壓得喘不過氣來,這就會……學生們忘了適度休息放松,而休息其實是沒問題的,你確實需要放松一下。
這里為學生提供了多種多樣的減壓技巧與竅門,例如做個體檢、進行按摩或者聽聽音樂等。
從小學的課程評估測試一直到大學的期末考,這段時間是很多年輕人的大考期,對部分人來說,這種壓力實在太大了。
芬巴爾·希恩(心理健康顧問):我認為我們對這個問題并沒有給予足夠重視。壓力焦慮癥表現為人對“未來”以及將要發生的事情感到擔憂,并且過度強調這種擔憂;而抑郁癥則可以看作是對“過去”的過分強調。我們之所以在這里飼養一些小動物,就是為了讓人們多關注此時此刻,找到真實的自我,盡情享受陽光,珍惜他們在大學的年少時光。
因此,盡管你坐在考場時也許會覺得無法自控,不妨做個深呼吸,放松下來——當然了,還要仔細看題目哦。
