Library
Isabella Scollard
961
Stressless is a campaign led by library staff in Augustine House that invites students and library visitors to come along, experiment with arts and crafts, play board games or even recharge with a cosy hot chocolate before the next round of revision.
It’s easy to get swept up in the pressure of studies and have a tunnel-vision focus on your work, but this can become unhealthy. Instead of running on copious amounts of coffee and adrenaline to churn out your work, we encourage you to slow down the pace and join in with some stressless sessions as a moment to relax, away from the textbooks and screens, and channel your energy into a creative output.
Poster created by library staff
Some recent crafty activities that we have organised include zine-making, cut-out poetry, leaf printing and upcycling unused materials into coasters! If you aren’t into artsy activities, then there are always the games, Wii, or table tennis to play, and many more options!
Plus, it’s all free!
Upcoming Events 2026/2027:
Photo of a previous stressless event, taken by library staff.
Introduction to Stressless – the favourites
Tuesday, September 29th.
Held in the Augustine House Library, 2nd-floor foyer.
Come and find out what Stressless is all about with some of our favourite activities. A chance to catch your breath after Freshers Week, have fun and make new friends.
Play Wii, Giant Jenga, Table Tennis or have a go at one of our Stressless board games. If you prefer arts and crafts, why not try one of our upcycling activities, make friendship bracelets or learn to crochet.
Photo of a previous Stressless event.
We’ll provide tea and biscuits and the space to relax and meet new people.
You’ll find us in the Stressless area on the second floor Atrium of Augustine House from 2-5pm. We’re a 10-minute walk from the main campus, near the Bus station.
Green Libraries Week
Thursday, October 22nd.
Held in Augustine House Library, 2nd-floor foyer.
Take a break from your studies with some nature-inspired activities… this event is inspired by Green Libraries Week, an initiative that celebrates libraries’ role in promoting sustainability and community engagement.
Come along to our Stressless session for general arts and crafts, and a special ‘wild writing’ activity where we will create reflective journal entries inspired by nature. To further deepen our appreciation and respect for wildlife, we will try some botanical Still-Life drawings to pause and focus on the intricate anatomy of plants.
Photo of previous stressless activities.
Other activities inspired by sustainable practices will be available, such as paper basket weaving, inspired by the book in our new ‘Read and Relax’ collection, named Braiding Sweetgrass’. This novel emphasises the role of indigenous knowledge and community impact within sustainability.
The Green Libraries theme for 2026 is – Navigating mis- and dis-information in libraries – therefore in the spirit of flexing our mind muscles, we will have some fun word searches to complete!
COP31
Tuesday, November 17th.
Held in Augustine House Library.2nd floor foyer.
COP31 themed Stressless in collaboration with the Academy for Sustainable Futures/Student Green Office.
Come and get involved – sustainable Stressless activities in collaboration with The Academy for Sustainable Futures and the Student Green Office.
Photo of a previous stressless event.
A Stressless Christmas
Thursday, December 10th.
Held in Augustine House Library. 2nd floor foyer.
Celebrate this holiday season with the usual Stressless Christmas treats like hot chocolate and a wrapping station with all the supplies necessary to wrap your gifts.
To continue this generous spirit while remaining mindful of our consumption habits, we will have a mystery book swap – bring a book, wrap it up, write an enticing ‘teaser’, and swap your book for another!
Photo of a previous Stressless event.
We will also offer Christmas card crafting and calligraphy templates to perfect your handwriting for all those thoughtful cards. Indulge your inner child and instead of writing to Santa, write a note for our ‘Wish Tree’ to echo your dreams for 2027.
Drop in, take part, and celebrate the season.
Ray of sunshine Stressless supporting post-assessment anxiety
Tuesday, January 26th.
Held in Augustine House Library. 2nd floor foyer.
Beat the January blues with a bit of Stressless Sunshine.
Create a sun-inspired picture using Stressless art resources; you can collage, paint, draw or sew something that reminds you of the brighter, longer days to come. If that isn’t your thing, why not start the new year by decorating your own mindful journal/gratitude diary.
Photo of a previous Stressless event.
Remember, if your favourite Stressless activity isn’t listed, you can always grab a Stressless board game or ask for one of our craft/activity boxes.
Love, friendship & community
Thursday, February 25th.
Held in Augustine House Library. 2nd floor foyer.
This month’s Stressless session is designed to honour the Valentine’s Holiday of Love and LGBT+ History Month – as libraries are inclusive institutions that strive to create a welcoming and safe learning space for all.
We will write ‘secret admirer’ notes to leave around the library and campus, promoting positive messages to boost people’s days in small ways.
Photo of a previous Stressless event.
We will also have a ‘blind date with a book’ station, where you can borrow mystery library books inspired by the theme of love… and of course, there will be lots more arts and crafts to get creative with, think painting, doodling, and paper crafts to gift to a loved one or simply for some self-care.
A space for everyone.
Eco-Hope with Stressless
Thursday, March 4th.
Held in Augustine House Library, 2nd-floor foyer.
Along with the usual give-it-a-go boxes like crochet, this Stressless session will include making bird feeders from recycled cardboard tubes, using donated magazines to make some collage art, and painting our eco-hope goals for 2027.
Or explore some self-expression by painting our CCCU tote bags and repurposing these into a personalised accessory!
Photo of a previous Stressless event.
University Mental Health Day
Thursday, March 11th.
Held in the Augustine House Library, 2nd-floor foyer.
Getting creative is known to create a mental flow state and instil a sense of calm and meditation. Therefore, for this month’s Stressless event we will channel some artistic energy into activities such as scrapbooking vision boards to manifest our dreams and future goals, as well as some mindfulness journaling.
In March, there tends to be the impending feeling of exams and assignments looming over the horizon, so we would love to help you build some self-care goody bags to reset and show yourself some kindness.
Create bath bags and journals, pick out some colouring pages or sudoku, write a gratitude list, and grab some chocolate or tea for your future self to enjoy.
Image created by ClickerHappy, sourced by Pixabay, Content License – Pixabay. Downloaded September 2026.
We also have a mindfulness box with recommended breathing techniques and tips to use when your nervous system is spiralling and needs to settle.
Eco-Hope with Stressless
Thursday, March 18th.
Held in the Augustine House Library, 2nd-floor foyer.
Our second Eco-hope inspired session will utilise the donated magazines in a different way by making rolled magazine art, which creates colourful 3D silhouettes.
Again, we will paint and doodle our sustainable goals for the year, as well as painting some artwork inspired by Aboriginal art, as Aboriginal Australians have centered the environment through culture for millennia, known as ancient eco-art.
Image sourced from Adobe Stock, created by Sergii Mostovyi under the Education License.
Spring crafts
Tuesday, April 20th.
Held in the Augustine House Library, 2nd-floor foyer.
Get ready for spring by making a sunflower seed bomb and a recycled pot to plant them in. Make spring-themed fabric flowers, a bookmark or key-ring, or just take a break with some mindful colouring.
End of term Stressless – post-assessment celebration.
Tuesday, May 18th.
Held in Augustine House Library, 2nd floor foyer.
Come and celebrate the end of the term by getting together with the friends you have made on the way at our penultimate Stressless.
Reflect on the year by creating a mood board on how the year went, with collage, colouring, or writing down your highs and what you would do differently for the year ahead.
Alternatively, create a vision board for the summer ahead: what books do you want to read, films you want to watch, hobbies you want to try, places you want to visit? Create your board to visualise what you want or use one of our hobby boxes to start practising a new hobby!
Postgraduate event – Chat and Chill
Thursday, June 17th.
Held in the Augustine House Library, 2nd-floor foyer.
Come along to a Stressless Event for Postgraduate students.
Meet others in the Postgrad community, chat over some cookies and tea, or play some games.
We will have lots of puzzles, board games, like chess, monopoly, and the Wii.
Beanbags will be scattered around with some fiction books if you would rather relax in a corner and wander into the pages of a story.
Enjoy some colouring and painting on a canvas – draw some doodles or write something you are most proud of so far in your postgraduate journey.
Upcoming mini events in Augustine House and on North Holmes Road
Coming soon….
Why should you come?
Photo of the stressless games section.
Creative expression is generally regarded as beneficial for the brain, as it can provide an emotional release but also propel the mind out of the lulled, passive state that is common in this technology-driven world. Being creative, therefore, revitalises different pathways for critical and innovative thinking. Both your well-being and academic work may benefit from coming along to a session and finding a sense of peace in the mindful act of creating.
Throughout history, people have always come together as a community to create. It encourages connection and conversation, the passing of knowledge and stories. Come to Stressless to grow your relationships at CCCU, strengthen familiar bonds, or alternatively, revel in the solitary act of crafting.
You don’t have to mingle at our events. There is also something therapeutic about intentionally carving out time for yourself.
Come as a group or alone; either way, we hope you leave feeling rejuvenated.
Book Recommendations!
Photo of stressless book swap shelf.
There are also some interesting books about arts and crafts in Augustine House Library and as E-books on LibrarySearch for you to delve into…
| Book Title | Classmark | Location |
Art therapy for every day : 365 tools & exercises to help you create, heal, and grow | 616.8 PAR | Augustine House 4-week loan Read and Relax Collection, Ground Floor |
| Art & fear : observations on the perils (and rewards) of artmaking | 701.15 BAY | Augustine House 4-week loan Read and Relax Collection, Ground Floor |
| How to live an artful life : 366 inspirations from artists on how to bring creativity to your everyday | 709.22 HES | Augustine House 4-week loan Read and Relax Collection, Ground Floor |
| Craft is political | E-book | LibrarySearch |
Screenshot of the book ‘Art Cure’ from CCCU Library Search.
A great book to read if you are interested in further exploring how art can be healing, specifically through the lens of scientific research, is the ‘Art Cure’ by Daisy Fancourt. This book title can be found in the Read and Relax collection and main collection in Augustine House.
Main image poster created by library staff on Canva.
