Stressed over Final Exams? Pet a Puppy!

Some students at Chapman University in Orange have added a weapon to their arsenal for coping with finals week -- puppies.

A bunch of them will be stationed outside the university library for students to pet and play with Wednesday, in the middle of "cram week."

The event, called "Furry Friends for Finals," is being organized by the university's Active Minds club, which promotes mental awareness and sought to find a way to relieve stress during finals week, the Los Angeles Times reported.

"It has been proven that having a dog helps relieve stress, so we thought it would be a cute idea if we brought some furry friends on campus," Jennifer Heinz, a sophomore and integrated educational studies major who helped organize the event, told The Times. She said her poodle-and-Maltese mix, Bindi, helps her relax.

"I love my dog," she told The Times. "Dogs are always so happy and want to play, and that helps make you happier."

Active Minds will also have pamphlets and resources available on how students can reduce stress and take care of themselves during finals, Megan Brown, the group's advisor and a counselor for Student Psychological Counseling Services, told the newspaper.

"Research has shown that animals can reduce anxiety and stress," said Brown, who is also a licensed marriage and family therapist and says many students miss the pets they left behind at home.

The pooches -- 10 Malteses, Yorkies, pugs and dachshunds -- will be provided by Puppies & Reptiles for Parties, a Torrance-based company, The Times reported.