Friendship Bench A Friendship Bench sits in the lobby of the Health Sciences Library as a safe haven where individuals may reach out and connect with others. The bright yellow bench serves as a permanent, physical and year-round reminder to students to take a moment out of their day to sit, breathe, and talk (or think) about their mental health and that of their friends. It is intended to inspire peer-to-peer conversations about mental health to reduce the stigma and encourage more students to seek help.