EVENTS

 
Massages 
8 p.m. to midnight,
Monday- Wednesday,
May 11-13 
1st Floor @ IMU 

Flippin’ into Finals 
Pancake breakfast
6:30-10:30 a.m.,
Monday, May 11 
Main Lounge @ IMU 

Therapy Dogs 
6:30-8 p.m.,
Monday and Tuesday,
May 11 and 12 
North, South Rooms @ IMU 
 
Morning & Evening Yoga 
11 a.m. to noon,
Monday - Thursday
May 11-14 
9 -  10 p.m.,
Monday- Wednesday
May 11-13 
South Room @ IMU 
 
Healthy Snacks 
2 p.m.,
Monday-Wednesday
May 11-13 
Throughout IMU 
 
Q & A Sessions 
Q & A’s with professors and TA’s from various lecture classes: 
Economics
3- 5 p.m., 
Monday, May 11
Biology
3-5 p.m., 
Tuesday, May 12 
Chemistry
3- 5 p.m., 
Wednesday, May 13
Illinois Room, 3rd Floor  
 
Carbs & Caffeine Breakfast 
6:30 a.m., Tuesday-Thursday
May 12-14 
While supplies last 
1st Floor @ IMU 

Popcorn 
Noon – midnight,
Monday-Wednesday
May 11-13 
1st Floor @ IMU 
 
Snacks on Snacks 
10 p.m.,
Monday-Wednesday
May 11-13 
While supplies last 
The Hub @ IMU 
 
Free Coffee 
11 p.m.,
Monday-Wednesday
May 11-13 
1st floor @ IMU 

Once again, the calm before the storm overtakes the University of Iowa campus this week as students prepare for their final exams.   

Finals week can be the most stressful time of the year for college students. That’s why the university is working to help alleviate that pressure with Finals@IMU, a weeklong series of events taking place at the Iowa Memorial Union.  

“We take surveys every year to see what is working for the students and what isn’t,” says Bret Gothe, director of Student Life Marketing and Design at the UI.

Gothe, whose office is located in the Iowa Memorial Union, says he is committed to making the IMU a go-to study location for students during finals week.  Among the activities this week at the IMU are yoga classes, therapy dogs, and a pancake breakfast.

The IMU also offers students free massages in the main lounge with three professional masseuses working from 8 p.m. to midnight. Free granola bars, fruits, soft drinks, and coffee are also being distributed to weary students in need of an energy boost. Both services will continue through Wednesday. 

Gothe noted that during bouts of lengthy study sessions, students would often opt for unhealthy snacks or neglect food altogether. He reiterated a strong commitment to “providing better food and creating a comfortable community to make finals less stressful”. 

Many Hawkeyes take advantage of these amenities and have gotten used to studying in the IMU. 

“It’s not as packed as the library during finals,” says Kirsten Arneson, a UI sophomore English and secondary education major from Decorah, Iowa. “It’s easier to find outlets and the comfy chairs are great.” When asked about her stress level Arneson says, “It’s a 4 or 5 now, and it’ll probably be a 10 later this week.” 

Some students say they the like quiet atmosphere at the IMU and its proximity to east-side campus residence halls.

 “If I need to study with people, it’s a central location we can all meet at,” says Rachel Gibbons, a freshman from Burlington. “The River Room and C- Store are also convenient.”

Gibbons describes her stress level this week as an “8” on a scale of 10. 

Landon Smith, a freshman mechanical engineering major from Northbrook, Illinois, says he likes the privacy of many study spaces in the IMU. 

However, Nathan Roden, a freshman from Antioch, Illinois, majoring in health and human physiology, says he prefers to study at home.

“I study for an hour, then take an hour break,” he says. “Kinda off and on for most of the day.”

New this year at the IMU are Q & A sessions with professors and teaching assistants from popular lecture courses. The idea is to provide students with extra help, if they need it.

Gothe and his colleagues added this event to better meet the needs of students. They’ve even considered adding a nap room for exhausted students in need of some shuteye.  

Ultimately, Gothe says the goal is “making the student experience more user-friendly.”