Bristol University Pops up a Puppy Room to Help Students with Stress

Can there be many things more relaxing during a lunch time than a big cosy bean bag and a room full of puppies?

A pop-up puppy room was installed at the University of Bristol last week as part of a mental well-being initiative.

University of Bristol Student’s Union (Bristol SU) is running Mind Your Head fortnight, which is aiming to help students with distraction and relief from the rigours of life and studying.

Bristol SU’s Student Living Officer, Stephen Le Fanu said: “Spending some time in a room full of furry friends is not just a pleasant antidote to revision boredom, but also soothes stress and boosts feel-good hormones. We want people to be as mindful of their mental and emotional health as they are of their physical health. By offering a broad range of appealing and approachable workshops and sessions we hope to provide support for a broad variety of needs and get people thinking about the mental wellbeing of themselves and others.”

Around 200 students visited the pooches on the day, but it’s not all about the dogs. The Mind Your Head event also features mindfulness sessions, panel discussions, a tea tent and forest hike.