Practising Mindfullness Activities on Campus
written by Mollie Brown
Below are some easy, quick activities or spaces that will help you practice mindfullness and take time for yourself:
Grab a coffee at UNIO
Catch up with a friend, your buddy take some time for yourself over a lovely hot (or cold) seasonal drink and treat yourself to a selection of pastries, sandwiches or toasties!
Take a walk around the lake
Take time out to walk around the peaceful lake, surrounded by nature and the potential to spot some lovely dogs and rabbits whilst enjoying fresh air.
Nap nook
The nap nook, located upstairs in the hive, is a dedicated space to catch up on any missed sleep. You could also utilise the silence to relax and potentially practice some meditation techniques for a break from the hustle and bustle of campus life.
Chill in the Square
In the warmer months, the sun hits the square perfectly, but even in the cold it’s a lovely place to catch up with a friend, people watch and potentially even spot Boomer (Security’s therapy dog!)
Visit the Sainsbury Centre
Gain some cultural enrichment at the current exhibitions, or simply observe the outdoor sculptures scattered around the iconic building itself. The centre also has a lovely quiet café located inside to watch the world go by.
Getting organised
When feeling overwhelmed, a really useful way to get organised is to write a “to do list” of all activities you need to complete. Colour coding, adding tick boxes and time frames are lovely ways to get motivated to finish them too! buddy(su) often run wellbeing focussed events where you can spend some time getting organised AND creative!
Exercise around campus
Exercise is another great way to practice mindfulness, whether that’s with a gym membership, as part of a club or a drop-in session! Do Something Different events or participating in the Ziggurat challenge are great ways to try out something new. Another scheme to take note of is the weekly dog walking around Earlham park which you can do with other members of the buddy scheme!
Campus kitchen or INTO
Eating well is an area we can often neglect, so why not indulge in a (cheap!) hot meal from Campus Kitchen or INTU to take a well-earnt break from studying
SU Bar
The bar can double as a great place to complete some work or catch up with some friends. Ask bar staff if you’d like to use the selection of boardgames, table tennis bats or to order food from pizza su!
Take 5 activities
Take 5 are a student led mental health initiative who run events on campus on Mondays, Wednesday and Friday. Take a look at their Facebook page for information about what events are running and go along to try something new and care for your mental wellbeing at the same time!