Welcome back! We hope everyone enjoyed their Easter break and is ready to begin (or continue, if you’re really on your game) exam revision. Term 3 can sometimes feel like you’re carrying the world on your shoulders, but we’ve got plenty going on in the library to help keep you motivated and refreshed. Here are the 5 best things happening in the library in term 3 (apart from you smashing your revision!)…
Term 3 is upon us and we hope you’re meeting it with more excitement than dread. It’s a stressful time of year but there’s plenty going on in the Library to keep your spirits up and your motivation levels high. But let me quickly introduce the team who is busy planning all of these events for you.
If you’ve not attended a PAT Dogs event before (why not??) then you may have at least seen a pack of pups in their fetching yellow bandanas wandering through the library a couple of times a term. This is just one of the stress-busting activities organised and run by the Library Community Engagement Team as part of the Study Happy events programme.
You’ve probably seen us around, we’re kind of a big deal. Our office is large and smells like rich mahogany (neither is true) but we are pretty much everywhere. We’ve typically got a lot going on with a range of events so in addition to supporting and enhancing your experience at Warwick, we’re quite reliably a good source of biscuit goodness. Just look out for Kirby, our penguin mascot and we won’t be far.
With that all having been said, here are the top five events the Community Engagement team have planned for you this term. In no particular order…
1. PAT Dogs
I don’t think I even need to sell the benefits of this. This wonderful collaboration with the Pets As Therapy charity is our biggest, most popular event. This is for you whether you’ve got a pet at home who you miss dearly or just want an interaction that’s, let’s face it, better than what we get from most humans. Come and enjoy the company of the lovely PAT volunteers whilst getting in some valuable patting time. This is a sign-up event so keep an eye out on our Facebook events page for posts with the moodle link to get your ticket.
2. Weekly Mindfulness sessions
Did you know that being mindful can affect how well you perform a task and have an actual, visible outcome? Studies have shown that those who engage in interactions mindfully have been found to be viewed as more charismatic (and are more likely to sell something successfully!) Each week, our experienced instructor takes the group through a series of mental exercises designed to help relax you, alleviate anxiety and ultimately equip you with a powerful tool to keep you feeling focused, sharp and more resilient. These are drop in sessions, no sign-up necessary so just come along at the start time. We also have free-to-access Mindfulness resources on Moodle. Sign up for free!
3. Ukulele Workshop
At this event we can guarantee that you’ll leave with the satisfaction of being able to play a simple tune on possibly the most adorable instrument. Our music instructor, Matthew, has a teaching approach that makes learning a fun and unique experience to even experienced musicians. This is a sign-up event with a limited number of spaces so keep an eye out on the Facebook events page for updates with the Moodle link.
4. Creative Chillout
Got a tough essay to write? Did you know that in experimental studies, those who participate in artistic activities have been shown to score higher on measures of creative thinking, such as fluency, originality and creative thought, than those who don’t? Arts education also has a positive impact on the test scores of non-arts subjects. There’s not even a sign-up required so what better reason to come along to our Creative Chillout in collaboration with Warwick Arts Centre this term! We’ll have a range of artsy activities to get your creative juices flowing (what an awful turn of phrase!)
5. Library Language Exchange
These events run every 2 weeks and will be taking place in the main library during term 3. The Language Exchange is a space for students taking on the same language learning challenges to build a supportive community and if previous years are anything to go by, attending regularly will build great friendships as well as great language skills. So, whether you’re interested in practicing a new language, sharing your first or anything in between, come along to the language exchange for a relaxed, social atmosphere and a nice hot drink. Again, no sign-up required, keep checking our Facebook events page for updates. Just come along for as long as you like.
