Guelph students get 'caring cards' to help de-stress at exam time
The cards are based on the Bucket Filling idea, an initiative for youth to make a difference through kindness
Students at the University of Guelph are starting to prepare for upcoming final exams. To help them de-stress, children from the university's Child Care and Learning Centre have handed out decorated "caring cards" around the campus.
The Child Care and Learning Centre is an early learning and care program for toddlers and preschoolers on campus.
The children will take time every day this week to hand out the cards to students throughout the school. On Monday, they visited students at the McLaughlin Library and the Summerlee Science Complex on campus.
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Each card has the message: "Good luck in your final exams! Love from your friends at the Child Care and Learning Centre," and a colourful child-drawn image on the front.
Information on counselling services and mental health resources is printed on the back.
Bucket of kindness
The caring card campaign is based on the Bucket Filling concept of making a difference in someone's life through an act of kindness. It works with the idea that a person's "bucket" is full or empty depending on what others say or do.
The caring card launched last year during exam time.
"It is a stressful time, and with the focus on mental health and wellness right now, it is just very timely," said Valerie Trew, director of the Child Care and Learning Centre in a release.
"Children always put smiles on people's faces when they're walking around campus. And last year it really surprised and delighted students to be approached by the children and have one of these special cards handed to them."