Stressed-out students at the University of Utah can now let loose without having to worry about judgmental looks from their peers, thanks to a small ‘cry closet’ that allows them to cry in private.
With homework, tough exams and student debt as high as it is these days, college an get pretty stressful, and sometimes you just need to cry before getting back on the horse.
But not everyone is comfortable sobbing in public, so the University of Utah decided to help students let loose their emotions by installing a small cry room in the campus library.
Created by University of Utah student and visual artist Nemo Miller in woodshop class, the cry closet is lined with a black interior, and features plush stuffed animals inside that students can hug and squeeze as they cry. Whether it’s midterm exams, getting dumped via text message or just having a bad day, students can cry in peace, at least for 10 minutes.
That’s right, you can’t just spend the day in the cry closet just because you feel that your problems are worse than everybody else’s.
This space has some very simple rules clearly stated on the door. Only one person may enter at a time, you have to knock before entering, you can’t stay in for more than 10 minutes, and you need to turn off the light when you leave.
While simple in design and purpose, Nemo Miller’s creation has been getting quite a lot of attention on social media in the last few days.
Most people love the idea and wish such facilities were available in colleges everywhere, but others have questioned its practicality, especially if the walls aren’t sound proof. After all, what’s the point in locking yourself away if people can still hear you sobbing?