Whether you’re a fresher finding your way around library spaces or entering your final year, Study Happy programme is designed to help you make the most of your student experience. Read on to discover what we planned for the new year… By Ana Kedveš
Taking meaningful breaks
We repeat this so often, but that’s because it’s really, really important to remember – regular breaks help you study better! Time away from your work helps with information retention and improves your ability to focus, whereas not taking breaks leads to decision fatigue, decreased ability to solve problems, and strain to your eyes, back and the rest of the body.
Whether you need a free snack and a cuppa (snacks are the best thing about studying, this is the hill we’ll die on!), a creative break or a bit of exercise, Study Happy has something for everyone. Collaborations we have with Warwick Sports, Arts Centre and other colleagues, mean that you don’t even have to leave the library. Check our website or Facebook page to see what’s on every week!
Building your community
The campus is bustling with activity during the term, but it can also get overwhelming at times. When you suddenly find yourself miles and miles away from your family, friends and other people close to you, it’s not unusual to feel lonely, even if you are in a middle of the crowd.
In designing Study Happy events, we try to create opportunities for you to meet other students and staff at the university. It’s such a nice feeling to connect with others over your shared student experience or common interests. Try coming along to our Library Online Lounge (LOL!) virtual sessions.
Space and time to focus on your studies
“Ok, I’m taking my breaks, but what if I need help with my actual studying?”, you might be asking. We do try to support you with your academic work as well. We regularly run our virtual ‘Switch On & Work’ sessions to support your studies in a distraction-free environment.
If you haven’t tried Mindfulness workshops or guided practices in Mindful Library, these could also be great tools to help you focus. Not sure what kind of study environment suits you the best? No worries, you can explore your sensory preferences in different areas at our termly Sensory Refresh events.
What about your ideas?
We’re always looking for ways to make Study Happy more varied and inclusive. If you have an idea for an event, or a skill or a hobby you’d like to share with others, crafty, techy or something entirely different, get in touch via lib-ugcommunity@warwick.ac.uk. We’d love to hear your ideas!
Last but most definitely not least, all those of you who enjoyed the #RolfSaysRelax campaign will be excited to hear Rolf will be back in the Library in term 1 and helps deliver more wellbeing-themed events. Stay tuned, more details to follow…
Are you familiar with the Study Happy programme? Have you attended any events in the past? Do you have any tips on how to spend meaningful breaks and how they improve your academic performance? Tweet us at @warwicklibrary, email us at libraryblogs@warwick.ac.uk, or leave a comment below.
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