ZieSta Room
Nothing makes me happier than to see Wake Forest recognized for good ideas and student-centered focus. Today is a great example of that. Inside Higher Ed has a story about our intrepid and innovative Z Smith Reynolds Library and the addition of the ZieSta Room (get it? letters capitalized for ZSR, so clever!) The ZieSta Room allows students to unplug from technology and studying and have a quiet place for a quick catnap:
“Napping students — exhausted by long nights of studying for exams or writing term papers — are common in campus libraries. But at Wake Forest University’s Z. Smith Reynolds Library, sleeping students can now be found resting in comfortable recliners, instead of snoring into open textbooks.
Last month, the library unveiled a technology-free relaxation area called the “ZieSta Room.” The room — which originated as a proposal from a group of students — encourages students to turn off their electronics, put away their books, and take a quick study break, even if that means falling asleep. The space’s guidelines stress that the area is not a study space, and that the only reading taking place there should be done for pleasure.”
Read the full article here. It’s a great story about the ZSR, but also talks about larger issues of college student wellbeing. Our new director of wellbeing, Malika Roman Isler (’99) is quoted about Wake’s Thrive efforts to improve wellbeing.
In other campus news, I am sorry to say that I missed being part of the 4 pm photo yesterday at Wait Chapel (there was a phone call I had to take). If any of our Daily Deac readers has a picture, please email it to parents@wfu.edu and I will post it here.
One more day of classes. Wow. Where did the semester go? With the end of the semester, you may notice an uptake in your students’ stress levels. Not a surprise, of course; you may well remember your own days from finals and how you felt. If your student is the type who would benefit from a pep talk, or a word of encouragement, or a care package, that can help lighten the mood. And even if you don’t have time to make a giant batch of your Deac’s favorite cookies, remember that we have Deacon Greetings, where you can wish your student good luck, or send them messages of love and caring. Make your own card here. It only takes a few seconds for you to fill out the e-card, but that e-card might just make their day.
Finally, we try to mention this to parents and families every now and again, and pre-finals is a good time for a reminder. While your students are living here 24/7, most of our administrative offices keep 8:30 am-5:00 pm office hours. If you ever run into a situation where it is after normal business hours and you have an urgent need to reach someone because you have a concern about your student that must be addressed quickly, University Police is our 24/7 contact. They can assess the situation and determine who best to address your concern. The 24-hour contact number for University Police is 336.758.5591 (non emergency) or 336.758.5911 (emergency). They can get in touch with on-call duty staff 24-hours/day.