Students organizers said a campus scream provided a valuable opportunity for relieving stress before finals, while professors said preparation for finals provides enduring stress relief.
Vedana Gaul, a senior from Utah studying social work, organized the event on April 16 outside the Aloha Center.
She shared, “I thought, I scream by myself in my own room, so why not scream with other people in public?” After the scream, she said, “I feel so calm now. It’s therapeutic to know that I’m not alone.”
Samuel Clayton, a junior from Colorado studying marketing, said he was inspired to attend because of personal connections to organizers. He said, “I’m a big fan of screaming so it’s a win-win.
“[Screaming] helped me feel not so serious about things coming up. I think finals tend to stress us out, and I feel like you do better when you’re more relaxed. We were all giggling before it started, but then we did a scream. It was pretty awesome.”
However, Assistant Psychology Professor Spencer Scanlan shared he was skeptical about the real benefits of screaming.
“The scream is temporary and perhaps it helps,” explained Scanlan. “It’s catharsis, you’re venting frustration. Screaming takes care of the emotion and the anxiety, but it doesn’t solve the problem, causing it.”
According to Scanlan, finals present a situation with a feasible solution. Preparing for a test or solving the problem causing the anxiety can help more in the long term than screaming.
He continued and said when anxiety is caused by situations beyond our control, such as the behavior of our roommate, screaming is a viable stress reliever.
When searching for other stress relievers, Clayton said, “If I think something is going to work, don’t be afraid to try it. If you don’t think something is gonna work, don’t be afraid to try it.
Professor Scanlan added some stress is beneficial when preparing for finals in a concept called the Yerkes-Dodson Law. “If students perceive a test is difficult, then they’ll need a stress level that requires them to be at their optimal level to adequately prepare.”
He noted there can be times where there is not beneficial stress. “Too much stress can be paralyzing. If you’re too busy worrying about the test, you’re taking away the cognitive resources necessary to complete the task.”
“Thus, the Yerkes-Dodson Law prescribes a moderate level of stress,” commented Scanlan. He said amongst high performing students, who are consistent with their assignments, they generally experience moderate stress levels compared to their procrastinating peers.
Students experiencing paralyzing stress levels are encouraged to seek help with Counseling Services. They are located at room 181 of the McKay Building across from the Cafeteria. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and their phone number is (808) 675-3518.
Writer: J. Eston Dunn