Stockton students unwind at “Destress with Dessert” event

By The Argo on November 7, 2022

Written for The Argo by Esmeralda Rivera

On Saturday, November 5^th, 2022, the Office of Residential Life, with help from the Wellness Center, hosted a get-together at the Lodge at Lakeside to help students unwind as midterms roll around and the half-point of the semester passes over. At this mini-party, students busied themselves with paintings, bracelet-making, music, and sweets, being able to release any tension building up from the massive pile of homework and study lists on their shoulders.

Wesley, 9 years old, is the calmer of the two but loves the pets and attention from the students. Photo courtesy of Esmeralda Rivera.

The event also featured two therapy dogs and their partners. The dogs caught the attention of many of the students, enough to make a crowd form around them as they pet them and scratched their bellies. It did not even take a second for the attendees to fall in love with these huge tail-waggers.

Janet Giacobbe, the owner of one of the dogs in attendance, has attended many events at Stockton; she expressed her love for the atmosphere and the treatment she and her dog, Kelsey, have received so far. “We love it. Kelsey loves the energy here and all the attention. We’d enjoy coming back whenever there’s something available,” said Giacobbe.

The pair have visited many hospitals, senior homes, and other places where people loved their company. Kelsey loves being around college students “because it’s a different energy,” Giacobbe said. They work with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, whose main headquarters are located in Wyoming.

The hosts of the event themselves were satisfied with how the event progressed. Christopher Lipari-Pazienza, one of the Graduate Coordinators at Housing 1 and 2, enjoys the Destress with Dessert every year. Housing 4 and 5 are primarily responsible for the event, hosting it since 2020. “We want to continue to give residents the opportunity to destress with painting, bead-making, and desserts. It’s more of a relaxation day,” said Lipari-Pazienza.

The Wellness Center will also be hosting a table in the I-Wing Corridor with button-making, games, free food, free giveaways, and Ms. Meatballs the Therapy Dog, labeling it the “Stress-Free Zone.” They will be tabling on Thursday, December 8^th from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. to help students relax during finals.