Ashley Favata photo: Campus Ministry employee Betty Amatangelo, lower right, teaches yoga to a group of students at SAC’s “Relaxation Day.”

Last Saturday, March 1, the Student Activities Council (SAC) sponsored a relaxation day in the Student Union. Students who attended were treated to massages, yoga, a visit from the therapy dog and a flavored oxygen bar.

Students were encouraged to breathe deeply and pause their busy lives for quiet moments of reflection.

Organized by SAC junior members Gavin Oakley and Alison Gass, the event was sorely needed.

“We wanted people to relax during this stressful midterm week,” said Gass.

Taught by Betty Amatangelo, yoga in the great room focused on relieving tension. Upstairs was an oxygen bar, where students hooked up to machines that pump scented oxygens for users to inhale. Each student received purified oxygen for a 3-minute session.

In the SAC lounge were massages. Given by members of the Athletic Training club, the massages were 10 minutes long. They served a double purpose by relaxing students and helping the club members hone their craft.

With an average 60 people in the first half-hour, turnout was larger than expected for the event. The massage tables needed timeslots to prevent extremely long lines.

Overall, Oakley said the relaxation day was beneficial to mental health.

“When you’re feeling stressed just take deep breaths and forget your troubles,” he said.

To learn more about SAC, and what they have coming up, please contact Preston Reilly at preilly@mercyhurst.edu.