Discover what’s happening this week for Mental Health Awareness Week — from creative and mindfulness activities to stress-busting workshops and ways to boost your memory, plus a Eurovision watch party this weekend!
Monday 12 May: Improve your memory, wellbeing workshop and designing and presenting a research poster
Boost your memory and productivity in 90 minutes at this Study Plus workshop with Mark Channon, author of ‘The Memory Workbook’ and memory coach on Channel 4’s ‘Can I Improve My Memory?’
Student Support and Wellbeing’s wellbeing workshop this month is on the theme of ‘New beginnings’ and will take place in Keynes. Come along to learn about ways to support your wellbeing and to meet others.
Postgraduate Researchers are invited to join a half-day workshop where you can learn how to design and present a research poster that effectively communicates to an academic audience.
Tuesday 13 May: Crafternoon (Medway), Mindful colouring with Counselling team and Fireside chat with Chancellor YolanDa Brown
Get creative and enjoy a Crafternoon at The Hub, the final one of the academic year.
Between 12:00-14:00, members of the Counselling team will be available in Nexus to answer any of your queries you may have about therapy and mindfulness. There will also be mindful colouring to help you de-stress during the exam period.
We are delighted to have award winning saxophonist, broadcaster and our very own Chancellor, YolanDa Brown to give the closing keynote speech at our Kent and Medway Business Summit. Kent students can sign up for free to join the special fireside chat with YolanDa Brown on Tuesday 13 May from 15:30, where our Chancellor will be talking to Susie Warran-Smith CBE DL, entrepreneur, author and broadcaster.
Wednesday 14 May: Creative pause and managing stress
For students who live in on-campus accommodation, take a creative pause from studying with ResLife in ESR2 in Eliot. Try your hand at making charm bracelets or phone straps, paint a small canvas, or personalise your own tote.
Feeling stressed? Jeffrey Wotherspoon is running an online Study Plus workshop about how to manage stress well when you are busy or have a heavy workload. Learn how stress can aid you as well as tips for managing stress.
Thursday 15 May: Teaching training, support after graduation and tie dye
Interested in teaching? Pop along and meet our team to find out about our teacher training programmes in primary and secondary schools near you in Caffe Nero. Grab a coffee and have a chat.
Graduating soon? Explore tools and services to help you succeed in this online workshop from the Careers and Employability Service.
Give tie dye a try on Thursday afternoon. Bring any old T-shirts, pillowcases, tote bags and more. As long as it’s cotton and lightly coloured, you can tie dye it! This will take place on the Library Lawn or DG-01 in the library if the weather is not great.
Friday 16 May: Understanding stress and self-care and Summer Global Hangout
Learn more about stress and self-care at this online Study Plus workshop. You will have the opportunity to explore the symptoms of stress (physical, emotional, and behavioural) and then think about the steps you can take to develop your self-care routines and those important work-life boundaries that will keep you well.
On Friday afternoon it’s the Canterbury Summer Global Hangout. Join us to celebrate the flavour of summer with creative crafts, fun games and refreshments. As with all our Global Hangouts this is a chance to relax, meet with existing friends and make some new ones. Open to all students. The Medway Summer Global Hangout will be on Monday 19 May.
Saturday 17 May: BioBlitz and Eurovision Song Contest Watch Party
Saturday marks the annual Kent BioBlitz, where students, staff and the local community come together at our Canterbury campus to record as many animal species as possible. There are also events throughout the day including guided nature walks, butterfly and bumbleebee surveys, pond dipping and more. The BioBlitz is organised by students from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology and is open to all.
Get ready for a night of glitter, drama, and outrageous key changes! Join us in ELT2 in Eliot College for the ultimate Eurovision Song Contest 2025 Watch Party which includes big screen viewing, a selection of free international snacks and soft drinks, Eurovision score sheets and more!
Opportunities
- Could you make use of the Kent Career Fund? The funding can be used towards the cost of travel or accommodation for unpaid extra-curricular work experience, travel to an interview, employment-related activities or training.
- We are excited to announce a new collaboration with Kent Food Hubs CIC, launching a student-run collection hub on campus. This gives students, staff, and local residents the opportunity to collect their orders of fresh, local produce without a delivery charge – making sustainable and affordable food more accessible than ever.
- Still sorting your housing plans for next year? There’s still time to secure a room on campus. It’s a great option if you haven’t arranged private housing or don’t have a group to live with, plus many of our accommodations come with an en-suite.