Duke student hugs a miniature therapy horse from Stampede of Love outside of Lilly Library during a study break.
Duke student hugs a miniature therapy horse from Stampede of Love outside of Lilly Library during a study break. Photo courtesy Stampede of Love

Winter Exam Study With Furry Friends and Great Art

Exam period study breaks have more cuddles than in the past. To help students relax, the Pratt School brought in livestock and Lilly Library organized a meet and hug with miniature ponies. Meanwhile the Nasher Museum opened its lobby Monday night for students to do their work while surrounded by the museum's art exhibits. See more images in a Duke Today photo essay.

Pratt School Petting Zoo

To help students, faculty and staff de-stress as finals period is about to begin, the Pratt School of Engineering invited Barefoot Creek Farm of Carthage, NC, to bring its mobile petting zoo to Harrington Engineering Quad. Visiting were goats, sheep and Clarabelle, the miniature zebu cow.

student handfeeds Clarabelle
students at Pratt petting zoo

Lilly Library

A popular Lilly Library exam tradition, the Stampede of Love brought miniature therapy horses, dressed in holiday colors, East Campus on Sunday to bring smiles to students. 

Find more photos on the Stampede of Love Facebook page.

student with a miniature therapy horse
students take a selfie with a therapy horse

Nasher Museum of Art

For the several dozen students who filled the Nasher Museum of Art for an exam study hall, the unusual study environment was memorable. “Finals never looked so good!” wrote Helen Jennings, one of the students involved in MUSE, the student voice of the Nasher museum.

Coffee was available, and tables set up in the museum's central space near outlets for the laptops. When students needed a break, they explored the art in the galleries.

Photos by J Caldwell. More photos are available on the Nasher Museum website.