To coincide with Augustine House’s 24/7 opening and the exam/assignment period; we will once again be returning to the full Stressless Zone. That’s right! All the fun activities of Stressless will be returning to support you with both your academic and wellbeing support needs. This will also be our first full session back after Covid – we hope you are as excited as we are!

The Stressless Zone (Located on the 2nd floor of AH)

Chill Out Zone – Come along and relax on our comfy sofas and armchairs to take your mind away from the stresses of work and revision. Lay back on one of our large bean bags, using the time for your mind to wander. Enjoy and relax with our massage corner, including a massage chair, shoulder massager, acupuncture mat and additional massage devices. You can also pick up something to read from our range of comics or books, have a bit of fun with our fidget box or sit back and enjoy our cactus and succulent tank.

Activity Zone – Whether you are on your own or with a group of friends you will find plenty to keep you occupied and entertained while you take a well needed break. Explore our wide range of board games and card games, there is something for everyone. Feeling more arty? Then have a look through our available art packs and equipment, maybe try your hand at some origami, quilling or collage. Pick up a colouring book and get colourful or get those neurons zapping with one of our puzzle books. There’s even the opportunity for some communal colouring on our colouring table.

Academic & Wellbeing Support Zone – No matter who you are, we all need as little extra help now and then. During the exam & assignment period this could be academic support with work, or individual support, helping us with a wide variety of wellbeing needs. Find our gallery of support services and all the help you can find at a click of a button. Explore some suggested reading from the library covered a wide variety of themes and ideas throughout the period. Have a taster of what is on offer at the campus bookshop and maybe plan a visit. Take a look at our top tip relaxation cards (all ideas suggested by former students), maybe there’s something new to try. Or, have a flick through our student created journals exploring experiences, stories, ideas, advice and top tips, all designed to help and support you as you progress through your student journey.

Get up & Go Area (Located on the 1st floor of AH)

It’s important to make sure you do a little exercise each day; but when your focus is on your studies, you can forget about this and ultimately be glued to your desk for many hours. Remember, we have four exercise bikes and a cross-trainer positioned and ready for you to use at any time. You can also help yourself to a yoga mat or block for some stretching. This area is great for an early morning or late evening five minute session.

Stressless – Can you escape the box?

Did you know, a few years back, some game design students created an ‘Escape room in a box’ and donated it to the Stressless programme. This is a great little challenge for any individual or group, do you think you have what it takes to solve all five tasks?

If you would like to give this a go, pop over to Augustine House and speak to a member of the User Experience Library Team. You will always find us at the library point during staffed hours.

Stressless Online

We will still be running online information and activities through our Library Twitter and Blog pages, plus through the University Student Facebook groups. This will be a great way to find out what we are doing event wise this year.

Take-a-Break Booklet

Library Drop In Sessions

We will be bringing back some of your favourite Winter sessions this year, while introducing something new. On offer this year we have;

FREE Hot Chocolates – 8th November, 10-12

2nd floor atrium space, Augustine House

Join us as we pull out the chocolate powder, shake up the spray creams and get all the extra ingredients ready; flake, marshmallows, chocolate dusting, sauces and more.

Games Night in collaboration with Choosday Chill – 15th November, 5-7

Augustine Hall, Augustine House

Fancy chilling out with some friends playing so cards or getting lost in a board game? Join us and we will provide a wide collection from our Stressless Zone for you to enjoy.

If you would prefer to bring your own game to share with friends, then you are more than welcome.

Decorating Biscuits – 18th November, 2-4

2nd floor atrium space, Augustine House

Join Jacqui, help yourself to some biscuits, ice them up and sprinkle; We have had some amazing creations in the past, are you ready and willing to rise to the challenge? Don’t forget the best bit, eating your creations at the end!

Decorating Biscuits – 1st December, 2-4

2nd floor atrium area, Augustine House

Join Jacqui, help yourself to some biscuits, ice them up and sprinkle; We have had some amazing creations in the past, are you ready and willing to rise to the challenge? Don’t forget the best bit, eating your creations at the end!

Games Night in collaboration with Choosday Chill – 6th December, 5-7

Augustine Hall, Augustine House

Fancy chilling out with some friends playing so cards or getting lost in a board game? Join us and we will provide a wide collection from our Stressless Zone for you to enjoy.

If you would prefer to bring your own game to share with friends, then you are more than welcome.

FREE Hot Chocolates – 7th December, 1-3

2nd floor atrium space, Augustine House

Join us as we pull out the chocolate powder, shake up the spray creams and get all the extra ingredients ready; flake, marshmallows, chocolate dusting, sauces and more.

Christmas Decoration Making – 9th December, 2-4

2nd floor atrium space, Augustine House

Join Jacqui for some creative fun painting and decorating with all the festive spirit possible. You can create a festive tree ornament from one of our pre-made plaster designs, create an extravagant snowflake or create something unique to you using our wide range of resources.

The University and Stressless

There is a wide range of activities and events taking place, throughout the next few months that can entertain, relax or help you in many ways. These have been designed or are being run by a wide range of Canterbury Christ Church staff and departments. Some of which can be seen below, why not check a few of them out.

Arts & Culture

The arts & culture team work hard to provide a wide range of activities and events throughout CCCU, available to all individuals associated with the university. Many of these could have a huge positive impact on both mental and emotional wellbeing, but even more than that, I am sure you will find them hugely enjoyable.

Cyanotype Workshop – 17th November, 1.30-4.30

Print Studio, Daphne Oram DO.2.15

Join us for a cyanotype workshop with Melanie King, Lecturer In Photography at Canterbury Christ Church University.

Create cyanotypes on fabric, which will be stitched together later as part of the Collaborative Quilt project. Cyanotype is a nineteenth-century technique which utilises ultraviolet (UV) light to create photographic prints. The cyanotype process is simple, non-toxic, and a great introduction to analogue and alternative photography. 

to book use the following link

(Rotating & FREE) Fun & Creative, every Wednesday, 2-4

Daphne Oram building

This new, weekly, student-led event features a rotating selection of fun and creative activities. Join us in the Daphne Oram to relax, laugh, socialise, and maybe try something new! Just show up, come for the whole two hours, or drop in whenever you’re free.

• 9th November – arts & crafts: Make willow and paper lanterns with Tina from Arts and Culture
• 16th November – open mic: Sign up for a set on the day
• 23rd November – arts & crafts: Christmas crafting with Tina from Arts and Culture
• 30th November – Christmas Tree decoration party!
• 7th December – games: Games design students share their collection of board games to try out
• 14th December – open mic: Sign up for a set on the day

If you would like any additional information for any of the Arts and Culture activities please drop them an email on tina.atchison-thomas@canterbury.ac.uk

Homemade Christmas gift wrap and labels

Come along to a fun, FREE session and create yourself some amazing Christmas gift wrap and labels. This is definitely an activity that will help you save the pennies this December. All resources are provided, so all you need to do is come along.

• Tuesday 6th December, 12pm – 2pm, The Food Court, Anselm

Christ Church sport & Active Health

As a Christ church individual you have access to the wide range of facilities, activities and classes that are held by the universities sports centre. Many of which are at an affordable price for all. for further information visit them here.

Moves App – Stressless Challenge

Have you joined the CCCU Moves community yet? You can find it on the app store and its a great way to do a little movement now and then. You can even complete challenges and receive a wide range of rewards through gathering points. For further information, check them out here; A Stressless challenge may well be appearing in the near future.

StudyFit

StudyFit has been designed to help individuals look after their mental wellbeing, such as those suffering with anxiety, low self-esteem or general stress. It is a set programme of six weeks and can be found here for further information.

Sustainability

not only do you have the option to look after your own mental health and wellbeing through the sustainability team, but to also play a part in supporting the local and even wider environment.

A Sustainable and Relaxing Campus

To grow and develop the universities sustainable future the wilder campus, consisting of staff, students and the wider community, has been formed to develop and recreate the natural areas of the Canterbury Campus.

A wonderfully detailed map has been created to help those wishing to find and visit these natural spaces with ease. So whether you are looking for a spot to enjoy the local flora and fauna or just find a quiet spot to relax and reflect, there is definitely something for everyone.

Walk with Walkways postcards

The Walkways postcards have been created by the sustainability team to help promote spontaneous, quick/short walking opportunities; Unknown to participants, until a postcard has been collected. What do we mean by this? Well the postcards have been designed for each one to show a different, beautiful natural image. On the reverse of these postcards will then be a sentence or two, instructing you on how to carry out your walk.

It’s Your Stressless, Get In Touch

Remember, stressless is here for you, so it will only adapt and develop if you let us know your views/opinions and provide us with suggestions on how this space can develop and grow.

There are many ways you can get in touch within the stressless area for example, using our comments white board, using the feedback cards or using a sticker on the targets.

Alternatively, you can use the online feedback form; please make sure you reference Stressless in your feedback. The form can be found here.