As students wrap up the semester and prepare for final exams, there are different ways to cope with stress that may be heightened during this time.
Painting might just be the way to help.
Students were given paint brushes, white flower pots and many choices of paint in the Student Health Center on May 28 as part of the “De-stress for finals week,” a series of events from May 28 to 30 that aimed to help students combat stress from final exams.
“This painting is destressing and is a good way to not think about school during finals,” psychology major Liliana Romero, 18, said.
While painting, relaxing piano music played in the background, setting a tranquil environment. Students talked to each other while painting their pots, complimenting each others’ painting jobs.
Romero, a student health representative who helps out in the Student Health Center, painted her pottery blue with small flowers all around it. It was her second time participating in a painting event at El Camino.
Another student who joined in the activity was Sean Ting, 31. Ting is a returning student taking health care classes at El Camino.
“This was the first time I participated in an event like this, and I was curious and wanted to try it,” Ting said.
Students chose many different designs including rainbow colors, flowers and pine trees.
Lina Berrio, a registered nurse who started working at El Camino College in 2022, organized the pottery painting event, which was the second one of the semester.
“I thought of a painting event for finals week at the end of each semester as a fun way for students to destress,” Berrio said.
Berrio became a registered nurse in 2017 and worked in emergency rooms before coming to El Camino.
“Working at El Camino has been great and less stressful than hospital emergency rooms,” she said.
Berrio said before the construction of the new Student Health Center, they had to host events outside or in different classrooms.
“Our old location did not have any space to hold any events and now our new building not only has more space but is tranquil and geographically central for students on campus,” she said.
