Amid the hustle and bustle of college life, sometimes you just need a place to go to escape, relax and recharge.
That’s the idea behind SUNY Oneonta’s latest mental health and wellness initiative, “Zen Dens,” which offer students a much-needed break from the demands of college life. Identifying unused closet or lounge space in residence halls, the rooms have been repurposed and transformed into quiet, calming environments to unwind.
Calming lights and sounds, comfortable seating, coloring books, mental health resources, crafting supplies and journaling materials are all available in the spaces, which students can sign up to use for an hour at a time. The Zen Den in one residence hall, MacDuff, has a large massage chair, while another, Hays, features a colorful student-painted mural.
“Our students lead busy lives, and most have roommates, so having a space other than one’s room for low activity and soft energy is needed,” said Director of On-Campus Housing & Residential Life Christine Edwards. “Zen Dens are designed to fill that need and provide a quiet, calming, even meditative space for students, promoting mindfulness and mental wellness across campus.”
When classes resume in the fall, Edwards and other Residence Life staff members aim to have one Zen Den in each residence hall. So far, there are completed Zen Dens in Curtis, MacDuff, Hays, Tobey and Golding.
The first iteration of this project came before the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, the spaces were being called “Sensory Rooms,” and Residence Life staff purchased most of the materials needed. When COVID hit, the project was put on pause.
Now, it’s making a strong comeback, thanks to a university-wide increased focus on mental health and coordination from Residence Life Coordinator Nicole Valdez and RD Olivia Schuler, who chairs the campus Wellness Committee. The first official Zen Den was introduced in Tobey Hall, where students embraced the concept and name, and the idea quickly spread to other halls.
Junior Piper Wood, an English major from Manorville, NY, is helping spearhead the Zen Den initiative as part of her membership in the Empire State Service Corps, which aims to increase civic and public service opportunities for select students across the SUNY system by creating paid service positions in a variety of high-need areas. Wood’s assigned focus is mental health.
“We know that spaces like this are helpful for students with anxiety and depression, but it’s also just helpful for good mental health and wellness, overall,” Wood said. “To have a place like this in each dorm where we can go to unwind, color, journal and take a brain break is so nice.”
As students continue to navigate their academic and personal challenges, the Zen Dens will serve as a reminder that taking a moment to breathe and reset can make all the difference.
“In this world, you have to grow up fast, and these spaces kind of let you be a kid again for a moment,” Valdez said. “We are committed to expanding this program, ensuring that every residence hall has a Zen Den to support student well-being.”