Walking into the Duck Nest on campus, you’ll smell eucalyptus and lavender, with bean bag chairs and puzzles in the center of the room. Walk past that and there’s a tea making station, a designated room for napping and a coloring station. There’s also a table that provides educational resources for things like sexual health and financial support.

College students are often thrown into the deep end — having to navigate full course loads, jobs, social lives and more. It can be difficult to find a balance. According to a 2019 report from the American College Health Association, over 40% of students reported their stress levels having a negative impact on their academic performance. 

At the University of Oregon, there are resources on campus to try to combat that stress, no matter where it may stem from. One of those resources is the Duck Nest. Tucked away on the ground floor of the EMU, the Duck Nest provides a space for students to unwind and deal with mental health and other issues. 

Kristine Borg is a Peer Wellness Advocate at the Duck Nest, volunteering for two hours a week at the front desk. When she first transferred to UO from Lane Community College, she was overwhelmed. The Duck Nest provided her a quiet space to relax. “Transferring here was crazy because Lane was the biggest school I had ever been to, so it was really hard to adjust,” she said. “I’m a non-traditional student and this space provided a little escape, but it was still on campus. It made it feel like home for me when things were overwhelming.” 

Borg says she likes to treat the space like her living room, and she hopes that other students will do the same. “I wish more students could come and be vulnerable with other students to feel that connection that we’re trying to provide,” she said. “It’s cool to come have tea, take a nap, put your feet up, it’s even cooler when you let yourself a little further in and talk with each other, to build that sense of bonding.”

The Duck Nest not only provides things like aromatherapy, tea, puzzles and a rentable nap room, but they throw events frequently in the space as well. 

One of those events is the recurring Be Well Wednesday, a rotating workshop that tackles different topics. That can include a stress and anxiety management workshop that provides coping skills for students to handle school and life-induced stressors. Led by graduate employee Bryan Rojas-Araúz, participants practice breathing exercises, talk about stress in their own life and learn ways to handle it. 

The Duck Nest also has an emphasis on food security and nutrition. They’ve been offering help for students to get involved with SNAP, formerly known as food stamps. Recently, the federally funded program for free grocery money expanded its program, meaning that thousands of people are now qualified. According to the ACHA, 45% of undergraduate students reported in 2019 that they often or sometimes couldn’t afford to eat balanced meals. 

Outreach groups at the Duck Nest provide education and support for different topics, including nutrition, sexual wellbeing and body acceptance. With 30 Peer Wellness Advocates, who are volunteers, and five Peer Wellness Coordinators, who are paid staff, all of the Duck Nest team have different focuses and help to coordinate events. 

One of those PWCs is third year student Emma Ly. As a freshman, she came in a few times as a participant to check out the Duck Nest’s therapy dog program, where they bring in therapy dogs to help lower stress levels. “I came in and just thought that this would be the coolest job on campus,” she said. “I knew that the Duck Nest was an awesome resource so I just wanted to volunteer here.” 

Now, as a paid staff member, Ly has an even deeper appreciation for the place. “I think the Duck Nest is a wonderful space designated for calm relaxation,” she said. “It’s for students to know that there’s a reliable place on campus. There’s something for everybody, and if there isn’t, just talk to us and we’ll make sure it happens.”

For more information on the Duck Nest and their upcoming events, visit health.uoregon.edu/ducknest.