Sophomore Klare Gibson recalls recess as the chance to escape from her desk after staring at the teacher.

Housing and Residence Life, Peer Health Educators and University Recreation are trying to provide a similar escape for students stressed before finals by holding Recess: Blugold Style from 5 to 8 p.m. tonight on Towers Field.

“We were just trying to think of something that kind of speaks to the students, but also lets them know it’s fun recess,” said Emma Chambers, a marketing assistant at University Recreation. “It’s not like recess like you had when you were in elementary school. Therefore, Blugold style.”

Today’s event will feature volleyball and basketball, said Lisa Schuetz, student services program manager for University Recreation. Because organizers decided they didn’t want the event to be exclusively sports-oriented, however, they’ll also offer such features as sidewalk chalk and massages.

“Everyone relieves stress in different ways,” she said.

Other events to be offered include coloring, yoga, moon-walking and sculpting Play-dough. Housing and Residence Life will provide a disc jockey.

Another idea was bringing a hot air balloon to campus.

“We wanted something different and unique,” Schuetz said. ” … Something that would draw students out of the dorm rooms and when walking by, (cause them) to come over.”

Chambers said the balloon will be eye-catching and the balloonist will answer questions. However, the balloon will only be available for demonstration; students may not fly, Schuetz said.

Chambers said the organizations have been planning the event since March. Planning included deciding on stress-relieving activities, their feasibility and seeking student workers.

Some organizations are donating money, Chambers said, while others are lending manpower. Students will set up and oversee events.

Gibson said she wrote a term paper, is preparing a resume and has three finals. She has a job and is seeking a second, she said, but hasn’t gotten around to it because she’s been swamped.

The beauty of summer, Gibson said, is that for students not attending summer classes, the end of the day is the end of the day. She said she isn’t looking for stress relief, but would consider attending an event like Recess: Blugold Style.

Schuetz encourages all campus organizations to participate in the 6 p.m. activity of cramming Blugolds into a hot air balloon, and said the winning organization will receive an ice cream social sponsored by the three organizations.

Schuetz said attendees may just want to sit on the grass and look around, although anyone is encouraged to participate in the events.