The smell of eucalyptus filled the air, meditation music softly playing in the background while students strolled from table to table picking up spa-themed goodie bags and making DIY essential-oil rice bags. Women’s empowerment pins lay on the check-in table where students scanned their student ID.
The Campus Activities Board and Student Involvement hosted a spa day in the Texas A&M University-San Antonio cafeteria in celebration of Women’s Empowerment Week from noon to 2 p.m. on March 24.
The event was one of several throughout March for Women’s History Month. The spa-themed event comes at a time when students are in the midst of finishing midterms and approaching the end of the semester. CAB event coordinator Valeria Rodriguez was making sure each student, and anyone who walked in, knew what the event had to offer.
“It’s calm downtime here at the university, and we’re just making sure they know events are still going on,” Rodriguez said. “We are going to be putting on more events where students can just take their mind off homework and schoolwork, and just relax for a bit and be a part of the Jaguar environment.”
A relaxing environment with essential oils and meditation music is something business freshman Larisa Natal is familiar with.
“I love to be in a very, like, relaxed and calm environment,” Natal said. “So when I heard about it, I was like, I had to go right away. Right after class I ran straight over here. I love going to all these events just to be involved and do stuff.”
The cloudy weather and mist were responsible for the change of location for the event, which was originally set to be in the Central Academic Building courtyard. The event was still able to bring in over 50 people. Family Student Engagement put out free self-care bags filled with a vitamin C sugar scrub, lip balm and lotion from the Carmel Soap Company.
The combination of essential oils and free incentives to encourage self-care led to 10-minute massages provided by Zenergy Wellness. Each massage was followed by a wipe down with disinfecting spray, so the next person in line could enjoy a massage on a clean surface.
Mask wearing and social distancing were still in place at the event as students, faculty and staff socialized.
“It comes at a time when we all are so busy,” Vanessa Quiroga, staff director of community partnerships and campus visit experience, said after receiving a 10-minute massage. “It’s great, not just physically but mentally as well.”
As the hours went by, so did the free goodie bags. CAB brought out socks with their logo on them as gifts. This was in place for the students who missed out on the goodie bags and continued to walk in toward the end of the event.
Communications sophomore Lanie Perez experienced her first massage ever at the event.
“Oh my gosh, the massage was amazing,” Perez said. “I’ve never had a massage before, but the fact that CAB was able to put on this event, and for me to experience that, was amazing. I love it.”
Students like Perez found out about the event through CAB’s Instagram page and others found out through Jagsync. For any students looking to attend events hosted by CAB or Student Involvement, follow @cabtamusa or get updates from Jagsync through their student email.
