With exam season just around the corner for many of the students at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, pupils are being given the chance to relieve some stress by petting a pooch.
RGU Students’ Union has teamed up with Canine Concern Scotland Trust to offer furry therapy to students and help calm nerves in the build-up to coursework deadlines and exams.
The Union’s offices at their Garthdee campus will be transformed into a dog-petting room on Thursday, November 26, where students can unwind and play with one of the six dogs being lent to the university.
The university’s Mental Wellbeing Society is behind the event with the aim of promoting awareness among RGU students and challenging the stigmas associated with mental health conditions.
RGU student, Lewis Eden, who is the events officer for the university’s MWS, said: “We decided to organise a dog-petting day at RGU as research shows that simply playing with a dog reduces the stress levels of a person and the overall happiness of that individual is increased thanks to the release of oxytocin – the feel-good hormone.
“Dog-petting rooms have proved to be really successful at other universities and so we chose to hold our own event at this time of year in particular, because students across campus are faced with the challenges and stresses that come with coursework deadlines, exams and preparing for Christmas.
“We have no doubt that the dogs will calm frazzled nerves and cheer our students up as they go through what can be a stressful period of university life.”
The event will run throughout the day from 10:30am with a break over lunchtime to give the dogs a rest.
Sessions are free, but a £2 donation is encouraged which will go towards Canine Concern Scotland Trust.