Wellness Opportunities on Campus
Designed and Illustrated by Milena Sinyakina
With exams, projects, and assignments clouding our minds, it’s easy to forget about taking care of ourselves and prioritizing our mental health over grades. This is why the BCITSA hosts wellness events! These are here to help students relieve stress and take a break from their academic responsibilities.
While most of these events are held in Burnaby, it’s worth noting that there are also events at other campuses. I attend two campuses, so I’m going to cover experiences I’ve had at both the Burnaby and Downtown Campuses and give an honest review of each.
Doggy De-Stress
One of the highlights for me is Doggy De-Stress, held at both the Burnaby and Downtown Campuses. A very popular event, this is where the St. John Ambulance service brings in therapy dogs for students to relax and spend time with. Jack Russell Terriers, Golden Retrievers, Pomeranians, and many more breeds make appearances at these events. The trainers who accompany them are friendly and love to tell you more about the dogs if asked. It’s a great way to relax between classes because, honestly, who can resist cute animals?
Pop-Up Bunny Café
Speaking of cute animals, I also attended the pop-up bunny café at the Downtown Campus. This was the perfect school event. There were snacks, drinks, and loads of bunnies to admire. I attended with my class and none of us could resist capturing the cuteness of the bunnies in photos! We couldn’t stop talking about how much we enjoyed the event when walking back to class, and we were so happy it happened at the Downtown Campus. Through this, we were able to unwind and just enjoy each other’s company (and the company of the bunnies).
Massages
When you visit for the first time, you’ll need to fill out a form about your preferences and any areas to avoid or focus on during the massage. For future visits, you’ll only need to provide your name and student card. Each massage is 50 minutes, and I found the experience to be incredibly relaxing.
Next up on the list of wellness activities: free massages! As a BCIT student you get to enjoy a relaxing complimentary massage while contributing to the development of massage therapy students’ skills.
I had the pleasure of going to my first Zen Lounge massage with Kayla Tran, another DTC student. We both agreed that it was a comfortable experience, and that we would book another appointment as soon as possible. These appointments fill up quickly, so make sure to mark your calendar when the booking opens for the upcoming term if you want to secure a spot.
Looking back, I wish I had discovered these opportunities earlier; I would have attended more free events. If you’re interested in attending, keep an eye out for information posted around campus, on the BCITSA Instagram, and on the BCITSA website.
