Category

Wellbeing

Category

Making the Most of Your Mid-Year Break

Exams are almost over and it’s nearly break time! Semester breaks may be short, but they’re still an opportunity to recharge and have a blast. Instead of letting the limited time slip away, why not make every moment count?
Check out these tips to help you make the most of your short semester break and have some fun.

Plan Mini Adventures

Even though your break is short, it doesn’t mean you can’t embark on exciting adventures. Plan short getaways or day trips to nearby attractions or scenic spots. Explore hiking trails, visit a nearby beach, or go on a spontaneous road trip with friends. These mini adventures will not only create lasting memories but also give you a much-needed break from the usual routine. The weather’s perfect for some outdoor exploring.

Dive into a Hobby

With some time on your hands, it’s the perfect opportunity to try a hobby you’ve been wanting to explore. Always wanted to learn to play the guitar? Grab one and strum away! Have a passion for cooking? Try out new recipes and unleash your inner chef. Join a yoga class or learn to make pottery. Whether it’s painting, writing, photography, or dancing, indulge in activities that bring you joy and let your creative side shine.

Connect with Friends and Family

Uni life can often leave little time for connecting with loved ones. Use your short break to catch up with friends and family members you haven’t seen in a while. Organise a fun get-together, plan a movie night, or simply spend quality time together. These moments of laughter and connection will rejuvenate you and strengthen your relationships.

Set Personal Goals

While it may seem challenging to achieve significant milestones during a short break, setting personal goals can still provide a sense of accomplishment. Choose a specific goal that you can realistically achieve within the timeframe. It could be finishing a book you’ve been meaning to read, mastering a new yoga pose, or completing an online course. Achieving these smaller goals will boost your confidence and motivate you for the upcoming semester.

Relax and Recharge

Remember, breaks are meant for relaxation and rejuvenation. Give yourself permission to unwind and recharge your batteries. Catch up on sleep, binge-watch your favourite shows, or simply lounge around doing nothing. Taking care of your mental and physical well-being is essential, so don’t feel guilty about giving yourself the gift of rest.

Reflect and Plan Ahead

Use a small portion of your break to reflect on the previous semester. What worked well for you? What could you improve upon? Take some time to evaluate your study techniques, time management skills, and overall performance. Based on your reflections, plan ahead for the next semester by setting realistic goals and outlining strategies to achieve them.

While your semester break may be short, it’s still a great opportunity to have fun, relax, and reset. Make the most of this time by doing things that you enjoy and taking care of yourself. Remember, breaks are all about finding a balance between fun and rejuvenation. So go out there, have a blast, and return to uni with renewed energy!

Not everything’s about study – take the time to connect

Australia is a vibrant and multicultural country — from the oldest continuous culture of our first Australians to the cultures of our newest arrivals from around the world. Each year Harmony Week celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity. It’s all about coming together to celebrate our rich culture and spread the message of ‘everyone belongs’. Bringing communities together through sport, food, music and entertainment creates an opportunity to think, talk about and recognise how our differences and our similarities make Australia a great place to live.

Orange is the colour chosen to represent Harmony Week as it signifies social communication and meaningful conversations. It also relates to the freedom of ideas and encouragement of mutual respect. Choose to wear something orange during Harmony Week to show your support for cultural diversity and an inclusive Australia.

Show your support by celebrating with us at QUT and connecting with your community. If you’re in Brisbane why not come along next week. Enjoy a diverse range of entertainment, sample delicious food and check out the many clubs and societies on offer.

    Harmony Week Celebration 2022
    11am – 2pm Monday 21 March
    A Block Lawn, Kelvin Grove

Come along and wear your QUT T-shirt to our event to show we all belong in the diverse QUT community.

  • $2 lunches
  • FREE Henna body art
  • Cultural dance and music performances
  • Games and cultural activities
  • Student club stalls
  • Tag #harmonyweek2022 in your socials

    Strategies for managing exam stress

    It’s that time of semester again and we all know that the exam period can be super stressful for many of us! Even though we know it’s coming and we have the best of intentions things often begin to unravel at the end of semester. It helps to have a plan and a reminder of some of the simplest things you can do to set yourself up for success:

    Check in with yourself

    Often we forget to really notice what’s going on for us. Stress can manifest in all sorts of ways but these are some common signs:

  • Feeling confused
  • Losing touch with friends
  • Feeling moody
  • Having trouble making decisions
  • Feeling overwhelmed
  • Lacking motivation
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Upset stomach, or feeling sick
  • Tense muscles and headaches
  • So how can you minimise the impact of stress when trying to prepare for exams and assessments?

    Get into a healthy routine

    It may seem like a good idea to pull an all-nighter but lack of sleep has a significant impact on your mood and energy levels. It’s hard to focus on revision when you’re sleep-deprived and your body starts to crave all sorts of things like caffeine! Try to aim for at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night and also make time to enjoy other activities like spending time with friends and family. Balance is the key!

    Set realistic goals

    Make a plan and divide your tasks into realistic goals with a reasonable timeframe. It can help to break each unit into sub-topics to focus on in one study session. Chunk your time down to 30-minute sessions so that you can see what your priorities really are. Make sure you allocate time for breaks as well as food and sleep! Seeing a plan in front of you can also help you stay on track so try printing it out or add it to your screen background.

    Look after your body

    We all know that nutrition plays a huge part in our wellbeing but when we feel stressed it’s easy to reach for something quick and easy. Unfortunately highly processed food and fast-release carbs can make you feel sluggish and unmotivated after the initial food high. Surround yourself with healthy snacks (fruit, nuts, energy bars, healthy smoothies, eggs etc) and try to plan your main meals during the entire study period. Drink plenty of water and eat a balanced diet to give yourself the energy you need to power through this intense time!

    Look after your mind

    When you start to feel anxious or overwhelmed it helps to just stop and re-set. Take some time to close your eyes and just focus on your breathing for a few minutes. By calming down your breathing you can decrease your body’s response to stress and give yourself a new perspective. It’s also important to find time to exercise. Just moving your body for 30 minutes a day can increase your energy, focus, and boost your endorphins! You don’t have to fit in a full gym workout – just a walk will do.

    Balancing study with everything that’s going on can be a real challenge. Just remember that it’s only for a short time and there is always someone at QUT that can support you. There are also plenty of useful resources available!

    It’s ok to take a break

    As a student it’s really easy to focus on all the things you ‘have to’ get done and forget to look after your own health and wellbeing. As the semester goes by and there are assessments looming self-care often moves down the list of priorities or even drops off completely. When you are stressed and anxious about everything you have on your plate it can be hard to see things differently but you can start with some small changes.

    Change your daily routine

    Change doesn’t have to be massive. There are so many things we can do to look after our health and wellbeing without going to too much effort. Think about something you enjoy doing and build it into your routine. Start the day with your favourite music and a healthy breakfast. Take a walk, do some gardening or join a friend for a workout.

    Be nice to yourself

    It’s easy to be our own worst critic when we’re feeling the pressure but we can turn things around by being a little nicer to ourselves. Write a positive note and stick it to your screen. Treat yourself to your favourite food. Download some new music or buy some stationery to organise your study.

    Shift focus with a podcast

    Listening to something non-study related can be a great way to shift your focus while still staying engaged and informed. We really are spoilt for choice but here are a few great podcasts about life, the mind, and human behaviour.

    podcastoneaustralia.com.au/podcasts/the-briefing

    tofop.com/wilosophy

    abc.net.au/radionational/programs/allinthemind/

    Remember – it’s okay to take a break! In fact, it’s often just what you need to refresh your mind and be more productive.