Glitter swirled inside homemade sensory jars and rows of brightly painted rocks dried on long tables last month as St. John Fisher University students paused between classes to take a breath at the campus Wellness Pop-up. 

The event, created and staffed by senior nursing majors from the Wegmans School of Nursing, was held in partnership with Fisher’s Health and Wellness Center. The Campus Center Atrium was transformed into a colorful, inviting space offering activities focused on mindfulness, reflection and stress relief. 

Throughout the atrium, students stopped at stations featuring rock painting, positive affirmation writing, goal setting and other hands-on activities designed to help them reset during a busy point in the semester. 

A senior nursing major who is also a student athlete said the nursing team hoped the pop-up would encourage students to step away from their routines long enough to breathe. 

“We really hoped this would give students a small break from the chaos of the semester,” she said. “As finals get closer, a lot of students do not have time to stop and reflect.” 

Another nursing student who helped to take the lead on this project said the group aimed to build a supportive environment where students could decompress between academic demands.

“We wanted to create a space where students can reset,” she said. “The sensory jars give students something calming to focus on when everything else starts to feel overwhelming.” 

For many attendees, the sensory jars became one of the most meaningful parts of the pop-up. 

“I did not realize how much I needed a break until I sat down to make a sensory jar,” said a P2 pharmacy student. 

The Wellness Pop-up drew a steady stream of students throughout its two-hour run, with participants stopping between classes or after lunch to paint, write or simply pause in the atrium’s calm atmosphere. 

Brightly colored rocks decorated with motivational messages such as “Keep going” and “Your future is strong” filled the tables as students created their own encouraging phrases. 

A senior nursing student, who was one of the organizers of this pop-up, said they hope the event inspires more collaborative wellness programming across campus while strengthening connections between nursing students and the wider student body. 

They emphasized the importance of preventive mental health support, especially as academic pressure increases toward the end of the semester. 

The pop-up’s blend of creativity, reflection and relaxation served as a reminder that even brief moments of calm can have a meaningful impact. 

For many students passing through the atrium that day, the impact began with a jar of glitter and a few quiet minutes to breathe.