You’re away from home. It’s the holidays and you’re taking extremely important final exams.
Life for college students can be stressful right now.
But there's a program on the campus of the University of Central Florida that helps students de-stress by spending time with therapy dogs.
UCF junior Katie Green said she has been stressed out from school and finals over the last few days.
Students take their finals between Dec. 4 and 10.
UCF sophomore Myles Russell said he was stressed out this week.
"I am still kind of cramping. I have them [finals] within two days,” he said.
Stress levels are high on campus, so that’s why mental health counselors brought UCF’s therapy dog, Bodhi to the health center.
Bodhi also brought some friends: Sunshine, Feefee and Daisy.
"She [Daisy] was such a cute little puff ball,” said Green.
It’s called Paws-a-tively Stress Free.
Studies have shown therapy dogs can help improve the health, well-being, and happiness in people.
UCF mental health counselor Mandi Bailey said they want the program to help students.
"Improve their mood because the human animal bond and interaction has shown to do that,” she explained.
Bailey said UCF is part of a growing number of college campuses using therapy dogs to help their students.
“I wanted try it out and see if I felt better, and I definitely did,” said Trinity Miller, a junior at UCF.
Another student, UCF senior Elizabeth Theiss, said, "I wanted to de-stress, kind of put it away.”
“I was kind of having a bad day, and then the puppies are all sweet, and cuddly and cute,” Green said.
UCF leaders said they were one of the first schools in the country to start the program.
They have the therapy dogs on campus about five times a year.
Students filled out a survey and got a free smoothie for attending the event.