Among students and academics, May has a less-than-stellar reputation as the month of great stress with those dreaded annual exams. But this doesn’t need to be so!
Stress has a funny way (hilarious, I’m sure) of breaking your spirit and throwing your body out of whack, leaving you feeling rather drained. With such little time to decompress, most of us turn to quick fixes like aimlessly scrolling during those short breaks between study sessions.
Well, what if it didn’t have to be like that? Throughout the month of May, the UM Library is organising a Feel Good Campaign, during which students and staff are invited to relax, recharge, and maintain a positive mindset by colouring stress away.
Here are some of the activities to look out for:
The Library Wishing Well – Wishing upon a star has a 5% success rate, but the Library Wishing Well guarantees a solid 99%. Leave your wishes and affirmations to the well’s capable magic. Felix will fill the Library boards with your wishes at the end of the month!
Free Origami Bookmarks – Are you a bookmark collector, or maybe you’ve always wanted to be one? Visit the Library during the month of May to pick up a free origami bookmark to add/start your collection.
Colouring Bookmarks – Speaking of bookmarks… Have more bookmarks! These may be found around the study spaces or picked up from the Circulation Desk to be customised as you see fit.
During the second week of May (13th–17th), some special activities will be organised:
De-Stress with a Librarian – Oh no! Are you in distress? Never fear, a librarian is near! Head to the Library Terrace from 10:00–14:00 and unburden your woes. Warning: Librarians may flee to the nearest bookcase if intimidated.
Free Candies and Sweets – Your health is a top priority, but who in their right mind would turn down free sweets… Many thanks to Welbee’s Supermarket (Campus Hub) for kindly sponsoring these treats.
Board Game Sessions – Can the strain building behind your eyeballs be felt by your great-grandchildren? Stop! Peel them (your eyes, not the great-grandchildren) off your notes for a moment and play a short board game. The first session will be organised by the Institute of Digital Games on Tuesday, 14th May. Then, W.A.R.S Malta will join in the fun on Friday, 17th May.
Chess Games – If you’ve ever been curious to try your hand at chess, or wish to join a community, the UM Chess Club are organising chess games all week long.
Origami Sessions – How do they make those cranes (origami, not construction cranes) anyway? Go and learn how! You’ll have your own handmade mascot to cheer you on throughout your study sessions and exams.
Most of us are shy to participate any given day of the year but hey, if you really want to put effort into prioritising your mental well-being, give it a shot. Sure, it won’t make the stress disappear, but knowing you’re not alone and have a safe space to release some of that energy can provide much-needed respite.
For more information on the Feel Good Campaign, follow the UM Library’s Socials:
Facebook: um.libraryservices
Instagram: @um.library
Pinterest: UMmalta
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