Discovering Restorative Spaces on Campus to Reduce Stress for First-Year College Students

Abstract

This paper discusses the importance of restorative spaces on campuses in helping first-year college students cope more effectively with the various stress factors impacting their daily lives. Using Medgar Evers College as a case study, it explores specific common and uncommon spaces students visited to recuperate from day-to-day stresses, pre and during COVID-19. The results will ultimately identify and promote campus spaces that are healthy means for retreat, destressing, and rejuvenation for first-year students. The findings revealed that the College’s Library—though a place to study—was considered the most restorative space on campus, where students retreated to reduce stress.

Keywords

• campus spaces
• restorative environments
• stress
• destressing
• environmental psychology