High school can be stressful, everyone knows it. Between balancing classes, sports, clubs, extracurriculars and social lives, it is inevitable for high school students to eventually feel stressed. In an attempt to help students ease their stress, Ayala offers a place where students can take time to ease their minds and feel calm for a while: the Zen Den.

The Zen Den is a room located in the library, where students who are feeling stressed, worried, or those who just need a bit of support can go to meet their needs. The Zen Den is open daily and it is open from 8:30 am to 3:45. 

“I think it can be a really peaceful place for students who are having a hard time,” said Sophie Wu (10). 

The Zen Den is run by Ms. Natalie Becerrra who has a big role in helping students in anything that they need while they are visiting the Zen Den. 

“If there’s a service that they need that I don’t provide, like therapy, I give them the resources for treatment services,” Becerra said.

Becerra makes sure to help students in the best way she can, which can mean offering counseling services to those who need it daily or finding a therapist for a student.

The Zen Den offers resources such as calming music, essential oils, calming tools, and other relaxing assets to help students feel stress free and zen.

“We have a lot of twinkling lights, low lights, and then we have fidgets. We have a little sandbar thing that they can play with and stress balls,” Becerra said. 

For a student to be able to go visit the Zen Den, they must first get a pass from their teacher. About 2-10 students come in daily to the Zen Den. However, some of those students are students who are trying to visit the Zen Den in hopes of trying to skip class or getting out of taking a test or turning in homework. 

“1-2 out of 10 will try to escape [class], and we’ll catch them pretty easily,” Becerra said.

Some students also have the idea that going to the Zen Den is embarrassing. They feel that the need to go to the Zen Den can cause a sense of judgment from their peers, preventing many students from visiting. 

“I think some kids don’t go to the Zen Den because they worry that people will look down on them or bully them for going,” Kara Bauer (10) said. 

In reality, no one should feel ashamed for having to visit the Zen Den. People should not let peer pressure get in the way of them making their own personal choices.

With a new school year starting, the Zen Den will continue to stay open to provide aid, support students who need it, and act as a safe place for anyone who might just need someone to talk to. If you have any questions or if you visit the library, reach out to Becerra or visit the Zen Den located in the library.