There is one thing that most college students can agree on: Finals week is rough.

When it comes to coping with constant studying, living in the library, and getting little or no sleep, students need ways to de-stress.

Miya Holley, junior microbiology major, said that her dog, which she bought at the beginning of the semester, helps her de-stress.

“When I really need to take a break from school and studying, nothing takes my mind off of everything better than taking my dog, Tobi, for a walk or taking him to the dog park,” Holley said.

According to Harvard Medical School, dogs have huge health benefits for people. Dogs help with things like lowering blood pressure, improving recovery from heart disease and they also help improve people’s psychological well-being and self-esteem.

Harvard has a registered therapy dog in the library, available for 30-minute checkouts to help relieve stress in students, staff, and faculty members.

“I just can’t help but to be happy when I’m around Tobi,” Holley said.

Junior environmental engineering major Rachel Acker de-stresses with another kind of pet: her goldfish.

“I like to sit and watch my goldfish swim and compare his life to mine,” Acker said, “It de-stresses me because my goldfish is so calm, and it makes me just blank out and think in his mindset. If I were him, that would mean that I would own a castle.”

“My goldfish doesn’t need to worry or stress, someone else cleans him, feeds him, and his mind probably resets every three seconds or so.” Acker said. “His life is great.”

Aside from pets, other activities that get a students’ minds off of school work can help.

“I love to go out to the shooting range and shoot trap for an hour or two. It’s really just a great way to blow off steam, “ said Cole Nelson, a senior biology major. “Shooting stuff just really relaxes me and it’s a lot of fun.”

And if nothing else works, junior history major Nick Divine has a suggestion.

“I go work out, take a nap, cry, or drink excessively until my liver fails,” Divine said.