It is 7:50 am, you step outside, and the cold breeze hits your face. You are barely awake, yet your mind quickly fills with everything you need to do today. First class, 8:00 am, the second at 12:30 pm, and the third, at 2:00 pm. Then Practice from 3:30 to 6:30. Class and practice consume your day and you are in a constant cycle.

When you picture being a student at the University of Saint Mary, most people imagine days consumed by class and practice but still envision plenty of room for fun and time with friends. For most students, this is not possible because of how tight a student athlete’s schedules can be. The university does its best to offer fun events to students on weeknights. Without these events, most students would never get a break from their regular routine.

A few recent examples of this would be a game night that included board games and cornhole, and a cereal night, which is as simple as it sounds. An ice cream social, bingo night, a Mario Kart tournament, and our most recent event was trivia night. Although the main focus for students is to go to class, complete homework, study, and excel in their athletic careers, there is still room for these events. It is easy to get wrapped up in stress and that causes performance to go down. These events sponsored by the university allow students to shift their focus to something less serious, to have some fun while in college. Even if the student is only at the event for 30 minutes, that gives their brain a break from the stress and anxiety they have been feeling all day. These school-sponsored activities are convenient because students do not have to pay for anything.

Try to attend some of these events and give yourself some time for fun, then return to your work, refreshed and ready to do your best work.

Carissa Martin is a freshman studying Communications and a member of JCOM.