University of Saskatchewan students having personal and academic problems now have a place to go for relief.

The Community Centre in Marquis Hall offers spiritual guidance, wellness activities like yoga and healthy eating classes or can simply be a sanctuary from the stress of the classroom.

The centre is the home base for Peer Health, a student health education group focused on a wide range of support services including mental wellness, a healthy lifestyle and healthy relationships.

Student and Peer Health member Roha Shahzad grew up in Saskatoon and says she felt loneliness and isolation as a first year student and feels the centre is even more important for out-of-town and foreign students.

She says the couch in the centre is a great gathering place for students to share experiences and realize they are not alone.

Director of Student Supports and Services Peter Hedley says having the centre in the middle of the campus makes it easier for students to stop by, catch their breath and feel a part of something.