During a tumultuous week of tears and fears propelled by dreaded finals and semester projects, the University of Rhode Island’s Considering Change chose to combat the issue head-on with scissors and glue.
On Tuesday in the 193 Coffeehouse, students gathered for the first “Sip, Snip and Create: Collage and Connect to De-stress” event. In a soft and dimly lit atmosphere, students socialized with each other while cutting and pasting magazine pages onto canvases.
The concept of collaging is not a new one, yet finding the proper materials and motivation may be cumbersome amidst chaotic coursework and increasing responsibilities.
Considering Change is a drop-in group for students on campus who want support as they rethink the way they use substances, provided by the Counseling Center. After the idea of a collaging event came into fruition around Thanksgiving, Considering Change worked to provide the supplies, find an inclusive space and reach their hands out to any students in need.
“We were just talking in group about how to de-stress, have fun things we like to do, and Arielle came up with the idea, ‘Let’s Collage,’” Catherine Calise said, a clinical counselor and the Substance Abuse Specialist at URI’s Counseling Center.
The event began at 5:30 p.m. and immediately students began to pile into the coffeehouse. After 25 students registered on URInvolved, Arielle Sherman, a clinical social worker and Alcohol and Drug Education Specialist with Health Services, then looked up at one point to count 42 students.
“[193 Coffeehouse was] just amazing at letting us use their space and they were just really great hosts,” Calise said. “We wanted to find a very inclusive space for this event and I don’t think it gets much better than 193. I just want to give a shout-out to them, they were a huge part of this.”
With bodies sprawled across the floor with scraps from a myriad of magazines, sharing glue-sticks and scissors, the air filled with creativity and collaboration.
“Arielle and I were so happy to see people enjoying themselves and literally spreading themselves all over the room where they were comfortable,” Calise said, to which Sherman added: “It was very heartwarming, for sure.”
Considering Change hopes to expand more into the community, especially after witnessing their impact at the Coffeehouse on Tuesday, according to Sherman. She wishes to spread the group’s message of connecting with others and having fun without the use of substances, which the group promotes heavily toward anybody who is sober-curious, as she stated.
“That’s the goal, to create more regular events through the group, so we’re hoping that this was a good start to it,” Calise said. “We’re always looking for more people.”
Considering Change is an open group, meaning that students are free to attend whenever they’d like with no expectations. This is not a mandated sober space, but more of an outlet for those wondering what it may be like to take a break from any substances, according to Sherman. The group meets on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Memorial Union, room 304.
Considering Change hopes to implement new de-stressing events with upcoming semesters, providing support to students in stressful times around finals. They hope to reach out to new populations on campus in doing so, as well.
“I think we consider this to be a form of self-care, a form of de-stressing,” Calise said. “Everybody needs to take a break when they’re studying for finals, it’s healthy. I think it just allows students to be present and allows them to be creative. Just remember to take care of ourselves in times of high stress.”
The schedule for the remainder of URI Health Promotion’s de-stressing events in the upcoming week can be found on their instagram @urihealthpromotion.