University installs 'cry closet' in library for students during exam time
A university has installed a “cry closet” in its library for students to “take a break” from studying.
The University of Utah erected the closet designed by student artist Nemo Miller in time for exam season.
A sign pinned to the door of the closet reads: “A safe place for stressed out students otherwise known as The Cry Closet.
“This space is meant to provide a place for students studying for finals to take a short 10-minute break.”
so my school installed a cry closet in the library LMFAOOOOOOOOO what is higher education pic.twitter.com/6rGcJv9qjr
— jacks (@aJackieLarsen) April 24, 2018
It also detailed some house rules for students using the closet, these included, knocking before entering, only one person in the closet at a time, limiting time in the closet to 10 minutes and turning off the lights when leaving the space.
Inside the closet there are cuddly toys for students to hold.
The installation sparked a mixed reaction from students at the University and from people further afield.
One person wrote: “So my school installed a cry closet in the library…what is higher education?”
Kristine Slade praised the school for installing the piece: “This is actually a great idea since so many students already deal with stress and anxiety on a daily basis knowing that it's heightened during exam and finals season,” she wrote.
This is actually a great idea since so many students already deal with stress and anxiety on a daily basis knowing that it's heightened during exam and finals season. https://t.co/G5szto7OTN
— Kristine Slade (@CallMeSlade) April 25, 2018
Another person said the closet could start to be used for something else.
Soon to be make out chamber pic.twitter.com/9sLFJ5R0Qx
— Mayibongwe Pixie (@mkncube) April 25, 2018
One person called Cocoa said: “It's all fun and games until somebody has a complete meltdown because the Cry Closet is already occupied.”
It's all fun and games until somebody has a complete meltdown because the Cry Closet is already occupied. https://t.co/3AAUmjykpp
— Cocoa Khaleesi (@TheDeeNicole) April 25, 2018
A stressed maths student wrote: “There needs to be 50 of these and they all need to be in the math building.”