A temporary solution has been provided to ease the overload of students seeking counseling appointments; Walk in Wednesdays have made counselors available for longer periods of time without having to make appointments.

From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Wednesday until Jan. 20 students can check in as they would for express counseling and get up to 30 minutes with a counselor, during which students have the opportunity to take care of anything they would during a regular appointment.

Due to the collective efforts of the counseling staff this new service has been offered since Oct. 21 as a response to several aggressive phone calls.

“We were getting a lot of abusive phone calls because there weren’t enough appointments,” said DeAnna Grove, counseling assistant and student service specialist.

So far there has been a positive response to Walk in Wednesdays and several students have been able to see a counselor for more then just drop in.

“We’ve seen upwards of 100 students at each one of them [Walk in Wednesday],” said Grove.

The positive response from the new service has encouraged counseling to keep it and bring it back during the registration period at the beginning of the semester when they are at their busiest and appointments are harder to get.

“With the week to week appointments is crazy for students who can’t get in at 8 a.m. to book their appointments,” said Leah Tuffley, 40, sociology major, and counseling student worker. “Having Walk in Wednesday when they come in between classes when they’re on campus is amazing for them to get things done.”

Some students have already taken advantage of Walk in Wednesdays and intend to continue taking advantage of it while it’s still being offered.

“I used it last semester,” said Jake Hedge, 21, business major. “It’s working the same as express counseling; it’s better, you get to waltz right in especially when there’s no one there.”

According to Grove, Walk in Wednesdays will be offered again when another registration period begins.