How to make the most of summer on campus

14 June 2018

In this student ambassador blog, Nadia Tancheva discusses what she loves about campus in the summer and how to make the most of the activities and events on offer.

Can summer time on campus actually be amazing? Totally. This is the time for sunbathing outside (…outside the library if you happen to be studying), having barbecues next to the Oculus building or roaming around the Bluebell Lakes and enjoying delicious street food on the piazza. However, I forgot to mention that it is also term 3 of the academic year and that means revision and exams. Nonetheless, it also means many opportunities for ‘study sesh’ Instagram stories showing how much we WBS students love that it is now summer on campus.

All jokes aside, it is true that summer on campus happens during term three and that really is the exam season of the year. However, despite locking yourself in the library or any other study space there are many things going on across campus to help with revision, stress relief and motivation.

Firstly, there are sunrays and dog petting for stress relief. For me this is all I can ask for. Despite the limited break time to be out in the sun, it feels so good that it is warm outside. Especially after experiencing a British winter (which this year involved snow), getting some vitamin D is very pleasant. The sun, for me, helps a lot for keeping myself motivated and happy, despite the exam nerves. But there is another thing that boosts the Vitamin D effect - the Study Happy therapy dogs. This is an event that the Warwick Library runs twice during term one and term two and more often during term three. If you are a dog lover, I really think that this would be the perfect event for you to take some pressure off. Volunteers from the charity Pets as Therapy bring their dogs for students to cuddle, pet and play with. What is more, these are professional therapy dogs which travel across the country to help people at any age and circumstances reduce anxiety, stress and depression. My friends and I always feel very positively charged and energised afterwards so I strongly recommend it.

CampusThe next thing is the opportunity for outdoor study sessions and having lunch outside on campus. Fresh air and open space can be quite helpful for getting your mind to a more zen space. Whether for an hour or two or for most of the day, studying outside can be very refreshing. Not only can you change your study spot, which is actually very helpful for boosting productivity, but also the fresh air is very good for keeping your brain sharp. I do realise that for some people it is not so easy to concentrate outside and thus they prefer studying indoors, however, getting some fresh air is quite important and there are many ways to make that outdoor break more fun. For instance, you can spice up your lunch routine and enjoy freshly made street food at one of the food markets held on the piazza. Or you can go one step further by taking the cooking into your hands and have a barbeque outside with your friends as the campus has designated barbecue areas.

In the summer, you can also take a nice refreshing walk or even go for a jog or cycle around Warwick’s nature-rich campus. For example, you can take a stroll in the woods of Westwood, or you can feed the ducks near the lakes next to Bluebell and Lakeside accommodation or you can even go as far as walking to Kenilworth and visiting Kenilworth castle. I personally discovered how gorgeous the campus’ nature is doing exactly that. It is a pity that it took me two and a half terms to do it but as the saying goes “Better late than never”.

Piazza

There are many activities and events in the evening at Warwick, but the one that I have most fun attending is the live streaming of the Eurovision Song Contest on the Piazza. I am from Bulgaria and my country always participates. Last year we came second which was very exciting. However, the main the reason I had so much fun at the event was getting to see Warwick students from all countries and nations gathering on the piazza, singing and supporting not only their country but everyone else’s. It is incredible to see nations being united by music and showcasing the appreciation they have for one another, which is exactly what studying at the University of Warwick can be described as - a culturally rich environment that brings nations together.

The tips above are only a small amount of the things you can get up to on campus during the summer time and if you are completing your exams during that time then going on an adventure outside will definitely help to keep you motivated.