Students walking by Hodge Hall on Tuesday occasionally stopped to look into Room 2020 to hear the sound of plates shattering and encouraging event coordinators.
The Kelley School of Business’ KelleyWell team, which is a wellness program at the undergraduate level that focuses on college mental health wellness, hosts “Balance Week” every semester for students to take a break from the stress of finals while celebrating the end of the semester. Students can do yoga and group fitness events, write out their worries and paint pottery during the week.
KelleyWell hosted a “Smash Room” Tuesday for all students as an outlet to shatter their frustrations before finals week. The stress-relieving event is a tradition, KelleyWell Administrative Coordinator Mariana Hernandez Lozano said.
“It’s special to students, so it matters to us,” Hernandez Lozano said.
At the event, students get a glass plate to write their frustrations and worries on. They then throw the plate into a tent where it smashes into pieces. Senior Sydney Fuchs said she looks forward to the “Smash Room” every year.
“I’ve gone every year, it’s super fun to just smash plates, get the frustrations out, especially with graduating soon, get it all out,” Fuchs said.
As a senior, Fuchs said that she wrote on her plate about finals, graduation and last-minute goals she has before her final chapter at IU ends.
“I really do like this event, (it’s) definitely cathartic,” Fuchs said. “It does symbolize the end of the year when Balance Week comes around but it’s really fun.”
Kelley School of Business Assistant Director of Student Life and volunteer Dedric Dennist Jr. said the event gets around 200 students every year.
Unlike Fuchs, junior Moyo Adeleye attended the “Smash Room” for the first time Tuesday and said it won’t be his last visit.
“I think it was very helpful,” Adeleye said. “I really liked the part where you wrote your frustrations on the actual plate.”
Hernandez Lozano said the preparation for the event begins three to four months in advance. It includes purchasing the supplies they need and recruiting volunteers to work events.
Hernandez Lozano and other members of the KelleyWell team work with the Office of Insurance, Loss Control & Claims to ensure the safety of the event.
She said in order to participate, students must sign a waiver prior to throwing and wear a face shield. The tent that the plates are thrown into is made so the shards of glass stay inside and in the case that they do not, the face shields are made to protect students’ faces.
No one has gotten hurt at the event, Hernandez Lozano said.
KelleyWell is hosting around 30 events in partnership with various organizations as a part of “Balance Week.” Some of Wednesday’s events include DIY charcuterie boards, stations focused on self-care, therapy dogs, chair stretch yoga, wellness bags and popcorn and aqua dance.
