The Daily Tar Heel
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The Daily Tar Heel

Relax during finals season with man’s best friend

This finals period, students can find some stress relief courtesy of a dedicated team of therapy dogs.

It is a sad reality that it is often more interesting and compelling to write about things that divide a community than the things that bring it together. A newspaper that only covers the simple does a disservice to its readers.

But it can be easy when covering the controversial to become cynical and confrontational.

In that respect, sometimes newspaper writers need a palate cleanser of sorts — something to remind us all that there is true, indisputable good in the world.

And there is nothing more indisputably good than a puppy.

These dogs are islands of cuteness and calm in a choppy, unforgiving sea of exams and term papers.

Dogs, in their pure ignorance and apathy to all things academic, offer solace to humans who sometimes forget what makes life worth living.

Petting a dog appeals to an innate human need for companionship, buried somewhere deep in man’s pre-civilization past. It soothes and bonds both person and pup, drawing them together in an ancient way.

It may seem silly to devote an entire editorial to the benefits of playing with pooches. But for the sake of the community’s mental wellbeing, it is only right to promote a program as beneficial as this one.

There’s a body of scientific research showing the numerous mental and physical health benefits pet companionship provides. There’s also a large body of anecdotal research showing the emotional benefits of cuddling a friendly canine.

So, this finals week, take a deep breath, walk over to the Undergraduate Library, and find your center by way of some of the finest hounds in North Carolina.

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