Sacramento State has facilities all over campus for students to use to their advantage, but there are a few places that fly under the radar. These underutilized facilities can help keep students happy, healthy and focused on their schoolwork while studying at Sac State.

The first is health services located in The Well, which offers a clinic, optic center and pharmacy. Students can get x-rays, prescriptions filled, medication or a pair of prescription glasses.

Lisa Johnson, associate director of clinical operations, said most health and counseling services are provided at little or no cost to eligible students.

“Student health and counseling fees are used to provide basic medical, counseling and psychiatric services to students,” Johnson said. “Fees cover many, but not all, types of visits with board-certified, licensed clinical staff at the center.”

Johnson said health services tries to offer an encompassing health service that will help heal students’ bodies and minds.

“Student health and counseling services embrace a holistic and collaborative approach to healthcare by offering urgent care, primary care, violence support services and mental health and counseling services to the Sacramento State campus community,” Johnson said. 

Health services is a great resource for students who may not have health insurance or who just want a quick check up.

While students can utilize health services to keep their bodies healthy, the next location gives students a place to decompress between classes.

The Terminal Lounge located on the second floor of the Union is a perfect place for students to relax and take a break from their studies. Students can come in and rent one of six rooms or hang out in the main lounge. In each room is a multimedia room where students can listen to songs or watch music videos.

“You can come in and rent one of the six rooms we have and listen to your own music or the music we have in our system; it’s totally free,” gerontology senior and facility attendant at the Terminal Lounge Rebecca Balarie said. “We have 1,316 music videos and a lot more albums (to choose from).”

Students can rent a room for an hour or longer if there isn’t a wait, and the lounge offers a wide assortment of board games and magazines to keep students entertained for hours. If students forget their OneCard they are still welcome to hang out in the main lobby of the lounge.

“I would recommend students come in here to relax,” Balarie said. “You can come in here and study in between classes, take a nap or hang out with friends (to) kill time. It’s a good place for students to come visit.”

The Library Gallery, located within the Library, hosts interesting and informative exhibitions year-round by international level artists.

Leslie Rivers, the gallery assistant, says although the gallery has been part of the library for over a decade, few students know of its existence.

“The gallery has been here since the spring of 2002,” Rivers said. “While we like to believe we’re getting our message out, we find way too often that students have been here a couple of years and did not even know we are here. We’ve got great exhibitions; the gallery is a very interesting place to stop by.”

Rivers said the gallery is an excellent learning resource and a great tool for students to come relax and introduce some culture into their day.

“Our mission statement is to bring international and national level artists and exhibitions to campus, and we’re hoping that it will bring enrichment to our student population,” Rivers said. “It also offers a rest from studying or what else may be going on in their lives and (provides) a moment to take time (to) look at something that may stimulate new ideas for them.”

Rivers said their location is very important to their publicity, as the library is an essential building on campus.

“I love the fact that we are in the Library and not tucked away in an art building,” Rivers said. “We (are) in the path of people that might not seek art out. I love our location and (the) really great exhibitions that bring top level art and interesting ideas to campus.”

Another resource available to the students is the computer labs. While the computers in the AIRC and Library are often clogged with students frantically typing out papers during midterms and finals week, these labs offer additional computers for students who don’t have access to a laptop. There are three types of labs: open labs, reservable labs, and instructional labs, and they are located in the AIRC, Library, Mendocino Hall, Solano Hall and The Union.

The lab services page on the Sac State website shows where these labs are located and has a current availability page, allowing students to check the usage of each computer. There is also a marquee between Lassen Hall and Kadema that posts this information, which is useful for students who do not have access to a smartphone.

Those rooms available are second floor of Mendocino hall in room 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, Brighton Hall 205, Solano 2001, 2003, AIRC 2004, 3007, 3008, 3012, 3013 and the second floor of the library.

Kaitlin Bruce can be reached at [email protected]