A Dutch university is offering a novel way for students to deal with stress.
Radboud University in Nijmegen, Holland is offering time in a freshly dug grave on campus as a way to help students reflect on life and put their problems in perspective. Located behind the student chapel, the grave currently has a waitlist that can last over a week. Minimum time in the grave is 30 minutes, but it can be booked for up to three hours. The catchphrase for the project is the Latin “memento mori” or, “remember, you will die.”
After her experience, one student said, “When you think about death, you automatically also think about life. That is because you realize that life isn’t endless and that we are all going to die at one point. It makes you think about what do I want to do in life, and what do I think is the most important, what does my heart feel, what does my mind want to do.”
At the bottom of the ‘purificaiton grave’ is a pillow and a yoga mat. A piece of fabric covering the mat has the phrase “STAY WEIRD” printed on it. Phones and books are prohibited.