By Matilde Albrektsen, AAU Communication and Public Affairs
Translated and edited by LeeAnn Iovanni, AAU Communication and Public Affairs
Photo: Anders Fast Nielsen

The theme of this year's Study Environment Day at AAU was breathing space and healthy breaks, which were popular with the students as the 249 free tickets were scooped up.

The day began with a presentation from Lars Holm Olsen, Counsellor at AAU Student Guidance, on finding the balance between textbooks and breaks. The presentation particularly focused on the fact that breaks are necessary and help to improve student well-being.

In addition to presentations, the day also featured a wide range of workshops on everything from zero waste cooking and yoga to music, bonfires and knitting. Some students came aiming to acquire new skills for better student well-being while others were there to spend a nice afternoon with their fellow students.

Maria Bjørk Bols Skaftadóttir, Architecture and Design, 4th semester and Joanna Lilly Juncher, Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, 2nd semester 

Why are you taking part in Study Environment Day?

Maria Bjørk Bols Skaftadóttir: The reason I’m participating is primarily to learn some tools for finding peace in my everyday life. I'm also not very good at planning and managing my time properly and I struggle to take breaks.

What are your takeaways from today?

Maria Bjørk Bols Skaftadóttir: We've only been to one workshop, so it's kind of hard to say. But a grounding technique that we learned, it does a lot for me just to breathe and get my mind on something completely different.

Joanna Lilly Juncher: We work a lot on project work, so I also thought that I would force my group to sing together, because that's what we've just done, and we're a very social group, so maybe that's good for us too.

What do you do to improve your own student well-being?

Joanna Lilly Juncher: I will try to take things one step at a time, and take it as it comes instead of thinking five months ahead. I also just realized that I have a project submission in a month, but it will be fine because you just take it as it comes and then you get it done.

Alesiya Antony Joseph, Urban Planning and Management, 2nd year

Why are you taking part in Study Environment Day?

Alesiya Antony Joseph: Because how to take a break from studies is a very interesting topic, and there’s also a semester project that I am stressed about. Not only me but also my fellow students. 

What’s been the best so far?

Alesiya Antony Joseph: I’m really having fun here. I’ve participated in dancing, yoga and now a drawing workshop. Dance is my passion, so I enjoyed dancing and drawing.

What are your takeaways from today?

Alesiya Antony Joseph: I learned from the presentation we had in the beginning how to plan and schedule our studies and balance work with positive breaks and how that can be productive.

What do you do to improve your own student well-being?

Alesiya Antony Joseph: I draw or dance, and these were some of the things to do here with lots of other people, which is different from doing it alone, so that was really fun.

Frederik Bredtoft Boel Jepsen, Computer Technology, 4th semester  

What are your takeaways from today?

Frederik Bredtoft Boel Jepsen: I've heard a lot of this advice before. But one thing I’ve taken with me at least is to have an overview of your tasks, and then use an Excel sheet for it. So when you have to prepare for the exam, you’re sure which tasks you’ve learned previously and whether you’ve completed them or whether you should ask someone for help; it makes things a little more manageable.

Julie Kristine Moeslund Kristensen, Mechanical Engineering, 2nd semester

What are your takeaways from today?

Julie Kristine Moeslund Kristensen: A definite takeaway for me is that you plan your procrastination so that you have time for it.

What do you do to improve your own student well-being?

Julie Kristine Moeslund Kristensen: We try to schedule breaks in the study group so that we remember it.

Melanie Neitzel, Sociology, 4th semester  

What are your takeaways from today?

Melanie Neitzel: I will definitely think about everything he (Lars Holm Olsen) said. Maybe especially the part about remembering that it's okay to procrastinate, and maybe you shouldn't call it procrastination, because you have to remember that you need time to recharge and then see things in a different way.

What do you do to improve your own student well-being?

Melanie Neitzel: I remember a lot about going out and having fun with my girlfriends. For example, like today. And then we also meet up sometimes; we also held Galentine’s Day and things like that during our studies. I'm from Sønderborg so I've made brand new friends here at Aalborg University.