In lieu of having a spring break, Ashland University has implemented the plan of having separated “flex” days. The most recent flex day on Feb. 16 came with programs sponsored by the Office of Student Life and ResLife, Counseling Services and Campus Wellness in the Student Center. 

According to the Dean of Students, Nicole Dyer, the first flex day programming focused efforts on a few of the priorities and needs students have shared this semester. Most of which included mental health resources, getting enough restful sleep and opportunities for on-campus connection. 

“To support mental health and better sleep hygiene, we were able to provide students with printed materials with the assistance of Counseling Services and AU Campus Wellness,” Dyer said.

Along with the resources provided at the program, the Student Life Office “sprinkled in” some Vines Bakery cookies, Hatch Restore Sleep Sound Machine prizes and gift card giveaways, and a ‘Best in Snow’ competition featuring students and their snowman-making abilities.

“To facilitate connections, we launched a new Instagram @engage_ashland, which is an offshoot of our new software called Engage Ashland and accompanying mobile app called CORQ,” Dyer added. 

Student involvement and engagement is one of the main things Student Life encourages with on-campus students. These resources allow students to join the various clubs on campus and to discover the many student-led campus events. 

With all these concerns in mind, Dyer finished by saying it is always a joy for her and her team to plan fun programs and events for students.