It’s official! Classes are over for the fall semester. As students around the nation hunker down for final exams, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has kicked off a series of social events and study programs to help students de-stress during the final exam reading days December 9-10.

Later this evening, the “Late Night Breakfast” event (in its third year) will be held from 9 to 10:30 p.m. on the Rensselaer campus in the Commons Dining Room. Students will have an opportunity to sample a menu that features a variety of choices and all-time breakfast favorites, including made-to-order omelets, scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage, French toast and waffles with toppings, breakfast pizzas, a fresh fruit bar with yogurt and granola, and fresh homemade cinnamon rolls with three frostings. Last year, the event drew more than 1,000 students.

To make the event more festive, WRPI, the student-run radio station, will be on hand to play music. The event also will feature a pajama contest, a tater tot toss contest, and an egg race. In addition, a nutritionist will be on hand to help students think about healthy habits during finals. The “Late Night Breakfast” event hosted is by Hospitiality Services at Rensselaer. To support the event, several members of the campus, including administration, faculty, and staff volunteers, will help to serve the students.

Beyond the breakfast event, several resident assistants will host a series of “Finals Food Breaks” in the residence halls to make sure that residents took time out to recharge, socialize, and relax before hitting the books again. 

Additional programs include the long-standing “Study Days @ the Heffner Alumni House,” coordinated by Rensselaer Red & White Student Organization. The event will be held December 9-10 from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. at the Heffner Alumni House on campus. During the study days, Advising Learning Assistance Tutors and Math Mentors will be available to help students. Over the years, at peak times, more than 600 students have taken advantage of the program.

This year, the Mueller Center has planned a series of “Stress Relief Days” activities for December 9-10. Sample activities that will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. include a range of free fitness classes (zumba, yoga, belly dancing, pilates, high-intensity interval training, and core and toning), free chair massages, and biofeedback and relaxation sessions. Students also will have an opportunity to participate in a series of open recreation athletic activities, including indoor soccer and basketball. To further help with stress relief, students will be able to make their own smoothies with graduate student members of the Society of Women Engineers, or try their hands at making Play Doh stress balls or finger painting. For more information about the Mueller Center offerings, visit:  https://www.facebook.com/muellercenter