Campus organizations set out to help students ease into finals

While the brains of students are being crammed this and next week with information they should have learned over the semester, various student organizations on campus are attempting to fill another void in preparation for fall semester finals: tummies.

Student organizations, like the Love United Gospel Choir and Campus Crusade for Christ, are hoping to ease the UT students into finals by providing some free meals.

Although the Minority Achievement Program has had a pancake breakfast for students in the past, this event has also undergone some changes.

“Love United Gospel Choir is going to be selling waffles and chicken,” said Stephanie Hill, graduate assistant at the Office of Minority Student Affairs. “They contacted us this year asking if they could sell plates of food to help raise money (for an upcoming tour) and we agreed.”

The event is Wednesday, beginning at 11:30 p.m. at the Black Cultural Center. Students can come and go as they please.

Hill said the popularity of this event has helped it continue to be available for students for many semesters.

“We don’t usually keep track of how many students come, but obviously it is enough to keep having this every semester,” Hill said. “On any given day we have a lot of foot traffic that passes through our doors.”

The Student Recreation Association will also be giving away free hot chocolate on the Pedestrian Mall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.

Campus Crusade for Christ is also planning to feed hungry mouths for finals on Wednesday from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Brian Fries, sophomore in journalism and electronic media and a member of Campus Crusade, said last year members of the organization handed out grilled cheese sandwiches on the Strip and decided they would do it again this year, handing out free sandwiches at Hodges Library this year instead.

“We are handing out grilled cheese sandwiches and hot chocolate to students as they go into the library to study,” Fries said.

Fries said Campus Crusade decided to sponsor the event to help students just for the sake of helping them and not because of any hidden agenda.

“We are not going to be harrassing them with spiritual questions or anything like that,” said Fries. “We are going to have people there if any one does want to talk, but if they want to grab a sandwich and go study in the library that is fine too.

“We really just want to reach out to people,” he said. “We really just want to show the students we care about them.”

Both supplies and time have been donated in order to make this event possible.

“The amount of grilled cheese sandwiches and hot chocolate that we give out is directly related to the amount of supplies that are donated,” Fries said. “We are making them there. We have around 40 people willing to help out.”

In order to reduce the pressure of final exams, some campus organizations are providing general ways to try to help reduce the stress.

The Black Cultural Center will be opening its doors this Tuesday and Wednesday for students who need a quiet place to study for exams.

Hill explained some differences with this semester’s session.

“We have the 48-hour study session every semester,” she said. “This year it is not actually 48 hours. The building is closing at 3 a.m. and reopening at 8 a.m.”

Hill said the reason the session is not a full 48 hours is because of staff shortages.

“The graduate assistants make up a large part of the staff, and we have our own studying to do,” she said.

Not only will students be able to study individually and use the computer lab, but they will also be able to receive study help, if needed.

“Because of the academic support unit, there will be tutors of multiple disciplines on site to tutor students needing help,” Hill said.

Hill explained the criteria for becoming a tutor for the Black Cultural Center.

“These are usually undergrad students who have applied and been hired as a paid tutor in an area they have excelled in,” she said.

The tutoring service is free for students, Hill said.

Hill also said that students use the BCC as an easier-going alternative to the library.

“Students come here to study all the time. Be have a computer lab with something like 15 computers and we have tutors on site in almost every area of study to help students all the time,” Hill said.

Fries said Campus Crusade thought this was a good way to reduce the stress during finals week.

“We know this is a stressful time and we want to just lighten the mood a little,” he said.