May 13, 2024
By Imani Finkley
On March 23, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science hosted a Designing and Impacting Change through Empowerment (DICE) Retreat.
The full-day event provided students with the opportunity to practice self-care – including massages, aromatherapy, and meditation – at multiple locations across the Engineering Quad.
Students attended the DICE Retreat for a much-needed moment to de-stress and reflect with their peers. When asked why he was interested in attending the retreat, a master's student in the field of computer science, who asked not to be named , shared: “I am hoping to learn more about self-care and to get to interact with people. I have been struggling with anxiety for the past few weeks as graduation looms closer, and this would be a great opportunity for me to take some time off and communicate with others.”
With their retreat "passports," participants traveled to a variety of destinations, including a rage room to release stress, a journaling room to color with friends, a dog therapy room to meet some furry friends, and even a sensory deprivation room to enjoy silence and solitude. By the end of the event, students left with a fully stamped passport and a bag of face masks, journals, fidget toys, snacks, and more.
More than two-thirds of participants reported learning a great deal about emotional and mental health during the retreat. Previously, Mukund Srikishan ‘24, an undergraduate studying statistics and economics, practiced self-care mainly through exercise and healthy eating. After the retreat, he said his biggest takeaway was realizing that “there are plenty of ways to engage in self-care, both independently and socially! It just takes finding the initiative to make self-care a priority.”
Thanks to the retreat, students spent the day relaxing and learning how to take time for themselves.
“I'm going to start meditating,” said Niansong Zhang, a doctoral Ph.D. student in the field of electrical and computer engineering, following the event. “I also have a friend who can really use the retreat. I am going to tell him about it. It's such a wonderful experience, and I can only imagine how much effort the team put in to make it happen. A BIG shoutout to DEI. Thank you so much for organizing this retreat!”
If you are interested in learning more about the DICE Retreat or any upcoming DEI events, please email Cornell Bowers CIS Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at dei-office@cis.cornell.edu.
Imani Finkley ‘24 is a communications assistant for the Cornell Bowers CIS Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.