Stress Baking to Relieve Finals Pressure

It was a couple weeks before final exams began, and the weeping and screaming of college students lingered through the UW-Milwaukee area. Luckily for some individuals, they had the chance to sneak away from the books and make delicious cream puffs and éclairs Dec. 3 in the Sandburg Cafeteria.

The event was hosted in a small room within the Sandburg Café area, where around 20 students gathered to learn how to prepare cream puffs and eclairs from scratch. Some came to bond with friends, some came to learn, and some came to get their mind off of exams coming up. The event lasted around two hours.

Sandburg Café had multiple posters and signs plastered throughout the building. That was when Mialee St.Peter, 18, Special Education major, became instantly attracted to the event.

“It sounded really cool. It’s a lot better than staying in my room,” said the Special Education major.

St. Peter then expressed how this small cooking session helped with her stress with studying and exams.

“This definitely helped relieve my stress,” said St. Peter. “I am a stress baker so I’m really glad that I got the chance to do this.”

The event consisted of dedication, team work, and lots of taste testing.

Another UW-Milwaukee student, Bonnie Pletrich, 19, occupational therapy major, expressed why she attended the event because of her love for baking and her desire to try something new.

“I really enjoy baking. I never tried making cream puffs before so I thought I would give it a try,” said Pletrich.

When asked if this event was a calming method of escape from school work, the occupational therapy major definitely agreed that it was.

“Not only did it take a lot of weight off my shoulders, but it took my mind off of school work which is a bonus,” says Pletrich.

Although many came to get their mind off of studying and school work, some simply came to spend time with friends and to meet new people.

Dominique Flannagan,18, International studies major, decided to join the baking blowout to bond and spend time with her suitemates.

Even though her main purpose was to just spend time with her suitemates, the preparing and baking also relieved the stress from final exams and studying.

“The fact that I got to make food and eat it as well got my mind off of school, but yet I still got to spend time with my friends,” says Flannagan.

After the blood, sweat, and tears everyone put into preparing the dessert, it was time for everyone to release their inner creativity and to start decorating their masterpiece and to finally dig in.

When asked what was the best thing about this experience it seems as if the eating portion of the event was the highlight of everyone’s night.

The special education major, St.Peter, says, ” The best thing about this experience was the eating, baking, and getting out of my room.”

Bonnie Pletrich, occupational therapy major, also had similar views that parallel with St.Peters views on the highlight of the dessert making experience.

“Besides the eating and getting away from my school work, I loved being able to learn something new,” says Pletrich.

The messy yet delicious experience was a get away for many, but it was also a place where many got to learn new things and express their creativity— all through the work of baking.