DeKALB | With the end of the semester approaching, deadlines, papers and exams can be stressful.

Next week, Active Minds is combating stress with National Stress Out Day activities.

Active Minds is a national organization that raises awareness of mental health issues on campus, said Stephen Carlson, a senior psychology major and president of Active Minds at NIU. NIU’s is the second Active Minds chapter in Illinois and includes 17 members. The organization, along with co-sponsors Psi Chi (NIU’s psychology honor society) and the Student Psychological Association, will hold National Stress Out Day activities from Monday through Thursday of this week. Earl Carlson, president of United Visual in Itasca also donated to the event.

“We’ll be talking about stress management in general, specific stress related to the end of the academic term and we will be getting information out on how to manage those heightened stress levels,” said Dr. Anne Kaplan, counselor for vice president for administration and university outreach.

Events during the week include recess activities, a movie and game night, a presentation, and free massages.

Active Minds became an official organization at the end of last year, Carlson said. The organization’s goal is to raise awareness on mental health issues, he said. Other goals of the organization are to build yearly activities as well as fundraising.

“There’s often a stigma associated with mental health issues that is not there when we talk about physical health issues,” Kaplan said. “This is something that we, as an organization, are really working to change.”

Active Minds is open to all students of all majors. The organization holds meetings at 4:45 p.m. every Thursday in the conference room of Counseling and Student Development Center.

For more information on Active Minds and National Stress Out Day, call Dr. Anne Kubal at 815-753-1206 or Stephen Carlson at 847-372-0543 or visit www.activemindsoncampus.org. For more information on mental illnesses, go to www.nostigma.org.