Wellbeing Calendar

Social activities

• VU Amsterdam strikes against higher education cuts – 7 April

  On Monday 7 April, staff and students of VU Amsterdam will strike against the government's proposed budget cuts in higher education. The strike is organised by FNV, AOb and WOinActie, as part of a national relay strike involving universities and universities of applied sciences across the country.

  "These budget cuts strike at the heart of our education and research, putting their quality under increasing pressure. We see this national relay strike as an important way to send a clear message to the government – to stand together for the future of good education and research. Together we say: Don’t. Do. It." – Margrethe Jonkman, President of the Executive Board. 

  Information for students

  • Your lecturers will inform you via Canvas whether classes or seminars will take place — please check carefully for updates.
  • Exams will proceed according to the current schedule, unless you are informed otherwise.
  • Attendance requirements are suspended on 7 April, except for practical sessions.
  • Practical sessions will continue as scheduled. If you are unable to attend, please consult your lecturer to discuss alternatives.
  • All course content will be covered within the regular timeframe of the course.

  Leading up to the strike

  In the week before 7 April, two ‘warming-up’ events will take place on the VU campus:

  • Tuesday, 1 April, 11:00 – 13:00 (Campus Square, near the tents): students and staff will come together to create banners and other materials in preparation for the strike day.
  • Friday, 4 April, 15:30 – 17:15 (KC07, amphitheatre on the ground floor of the Main Building): screening of a documentary about the 100-hour student occupation of the VU in 1972. The screening will be followed by a discussion with filmmaker Jochum de Graaf, WOinActie representative, Catarina Dutilh Novaes, historian of social movements, Lucas Poy, and the audience. Together, they will reflect on the past and engage in a conversation about the role of university activism, then and now.

  Programme

  • 08:00 – 10:00 Picketing and flyering at VU campus buildings 
  • 10:00 – 12:00 Banner making on the campus square and in the Main Building (HG) 
  • 12:45 – 13:30 Stage programme on the campus square with speakers 
  • 13:30 – 14:30 March through the Zuidas and back to VU
  • 14:30 – 17:00 Union market with food and drinks on the campus square 
  • 17:00 End of strike day

  As soon as more information about the programme and any activities on or around campus becomes available, it will be added here on this page.

  For more information about the national actions, please visit the websites of FNV, AOb and WOinActie.

• Open mic night – 7 April

  Do you have a talent that you would like to show others or would you like to glitter up your Monday? Stop by the Life is Better in 3D Open mic night!

  Stop by our cozy open mic night to watch fun performances or give it a try on our stage (it's just the floor in the 3D room don't worry ;-) Some examples of things you could do on stage: Sing, dance, make music, give a TED talk, show us a short movie, give a fashion show or an art exhibition, tell us about the book you wrote or about the world trip you took/are going to take, bring a dish you love making. Anything is possible as long as it's entertaining :-). 

  The open mic is a great way to try something out in a safe space or to see how your talent is received by other people or even to make your talent more known among others! Plus you can jam with other people afterwards!🎶

  For people who like to watch: the open mic is of course a fun way to spend your Monday evening, but this way you can also see different talents and get inspired to perhaps develop a new talent yourself!

  If you do want to perform, you can send us an email to make sure you got the equipment needed for your act, but be aware that our equipment is very limited. 

  Practical information

  • Date & time: Monday, 7 April 2025 from 19:00 (you can come later if you want and you decide when you want to leave :-)
  • Location: 3D room
  • Audience: VU students
  • Language: English and Dutch
  • Insta
  • WhatsApp group
  • Check our equipment by sending an email to 3D@vu.nl.

• Close reading: The Disappearance of Rituals N.1 – 9 April

  What are rituals and do we need them? Join us in our close reading sessions and find out what connection rituals have with the passing of time!

  The start of spring brings a new series of our close reading club! This time with the focus on the role, and maybe necessity, of rituals. During the close reading sessions, we will read parts of The Disappearance of Rituals by Byung-Chul Han. There’s no preparation needed for these sessions! 

  What are we reading?

  The subject of The Disappearance of Rituals is time. Han describes how time no longer offers a home, like loose sand slipping through our fingers, because nothing is ever completed. We ride an eternal wave of better, bigger and more. What role could and do rituals play in this?

  Who are we reading?

  Byung-Chul Han is a South Korean-born philosopher and cultural theorist living in Germany. His work largely centres around a critique of neoliberalism and its impact on society and the individual. 

  What to expect?

  The session will start at 4:00 PM with some coffee and tea and some time to settle in together. There is no need to prepare anything; we'll have the readings with us! We have selected a part of the book which we will read together. Then, there is some time to reread in silence, after which we will discuss what we think and feel about the excerpts. 

  Summarized, join us for some interesting reading time. We’re looking forward to seeing you! Don’t forget to sign up for one or more of the sessions (the others take place on April 16th and 23th).

  The close reading club is organized by NEWConnective, VU’s Platform for Life’s Big Questions. Do you want to stay up to date? Follow us on Instagram (@newconnective) or join our community on WhatsApp.

  Practical information

  • Date & time: Wednesday, 9 April  16:00-17:30
  • Location: 3D
  • Please sign up here.

• DnD night – 9 April

  Adventure is out there! Join our DnD night for an evening filled with dragons and quests!

  You can find all information and the registration form on our Insta or join our Whatsapp group! If you don't have Insta, you can sign up here. For other questions, you can send us an email at 3D@vu.nl.

  Practical information

  • Date & time: Wednesday, 9 April 2025 from 18:00 (you can come later if you want and you decide when you want to leave :-)
  • Location: 3D room
  • Audience: VU students
  • Language: English and Dutch
  • Insta
  • WhatsApp group
  • Sign up here if you don't have Insta.
  • For further questions, you can send an email to 3D@vu.nl.

• Movie night – 10 April

  Thursday night = Movie night! Join Life is Better in 3D for a movie with snacks!

  You can find all information and the registration form on our Insta or join our Whatsapp group! If you don't have Insta, you can sign up here. For other questions, you can send us an email at 3D@vu.nl.

  Practical information

  • Date & time: Thursday, 10 April 2025 from 18:30 (you can come later if you want and you decide when you want to leave :-)
  • Location: 3D room
  • Audience: VU students
  • Language: English and Dutch
  • Insta
  • WhatsApp group
  • Sign up here if you don't have Insta.
  • For further questions, you can send an email to 3D@vu.nl.

• Chess tournament – 11 April

  Do you love playing chess and a challenge? Join the Life is Better in 3D Chess tournament to find out who is the best!

  You don't have to be a skilled chess player, the tournament is open for everyone! You can find all information and the registration form on our Insta or join our Whatsapp group! If you don't have Insta, you can sign up here. For other questions, you can send us an email at 3D@vu.nl.

  Practical information

  • Date & time: Friday, 11 April 2025 from 17:00 (you can come later if you want and you decide when you want to leave :-)
  • Location: 3D room
  • Audience: VU students
  • Language: English and Dutch
  • Insta
  • WhatsApp group
  • Sign up here if you don't have Insta.
  • For further questions, you can send an email to 3D@vu.nl.

• Cooking Event – 14 April

  Do you want to have a delicious and fun evening? Come to our Life is Better in 3D Cooking Event!

  The cooking event will take place on Sara Burgerhartstraat 1. You can find all information and the registration form on our Insta or join our Whatsapp group! If you don't have Insta, you can sign up here. For other questions, you can send us an email at 3D@vu.nl.

  Practical information

  • Date & time: Monday, 14 April 2025 from 18:00 (you can come later if you want and you decide when you want to leave :-)
  • Location: Sara Burgerhartstraat 1
  • Audience: VU students
  • Language: English and Dutch
  • Insta
  • WhatsApp group
  • Sign up here if you don't have Insta.
  • For further questions, you can send an email to 3D@vu.nl.

• Student Wellbeing Point Pop-up: Recharge, Reset, Repeat – 14 & 16 April

  The Student Wellbeing Point (SWP) is turning three! On Monday 14 and Wednesday 16 April, we’re celebrating with a pop-up event in the main entrance hall of the Main Building (HG). 

  During the day you're welcome to drop by – whether you’ve got five minutes or half an hour. Join a creative self-care activity, add a note to the wellbeing-bulleting board, or explore a few surprising ways to truly relax. 👀 

  🍊 Grab a snack, 
  📸 Try out a fun little photo moment, 
  🎨 Join a mini wellbeing activity, 
  🪑 And… experience something that’ll loosen those shoulders. 

  Practical information

  📍 Main Building entrance hall (HG) 
  📅 Monday 14 & Wednesday 16 April 
  🕐 Day time 
  📌 No sign-up needed 

  #RechargeResetRepeat #StudentWellbeingVU 

• Stitch 'n' bitch club and Arts event – 15 April

  A relaxed crafting meet-up open to all! Come unwind and crochet, knit or draw or paint a masterpiece!

  Some materials are available, so just bring yourself, or your ongoing creations. Enjoy tea, coffee, and biscuits as you stitch or paint and unwind! You can find all information and the registration form on our Insta or join our Whatsapp group! If you don't have Insta, you can sign up here. For other questions, you can send us an email at 3D@vu.nl.

  Practical information

  • Date & time: Tuesday, 15 April 2025 from 18:30 (you can come later if you want and you decide when you want to leave :-)
  • Location: 3D room
  • Audience: VU students
  • Language: English and Dutch
  • Insta
  • WhatsApp group
  • Sign up here if you don't have Insta.
  • For further questions, you can send an email to 3D@vu.nl.

• DnD night – 16 April

  Adventure is out there! Join our DnD night for an evening filled with dragons and quests!

  You can find all information and the registration form on our Insta or join our Whatsapp group! If you don't have Insta, you can sign up here. For other questions, you can send us an email at 3D@vu.nl.

  Practical information

  • Date & time: Wednesday, 16 April 2025 from 18:30 (you can come later if you want and you decide when you want to leave :-)
  • Location: 3D room
  • Audience: VU students
  • Language: English and Dutch
  • Insta
  • WhatsApp group
  • Sign up here if you don't have Insta.
  • For further questions, you can send an email to 3D@vu.nl.

• Water balloon fight – 21 April

  Are you not afraid of water and eager to win a fight? Join the Life is Better in 3D water balloon fight!

  The ultimate Battle of Water takes place in the Amsterdamse Bos. For the exact time and meeting place, check our socials. You can find all information and the registration form on our Insta or join our Whatsapp group! If you don't have Insta, you can sign up here. For other questions, you can send us an email at 3D@vu.nl.

  Practical information

  • Date: Monday, 21 April 2025
  • Check our Socials for the exact time and meeting place
  • You decide when you want to leave :-)
  • Location: Amsterdamse Bos
  • Audience: VU students
  • Language: English and Dutch
  • Insta
  • WhatsApp group
  • Sign up here if you don't have Insta.
  • For further questions, you can send an email to 3D@vu.nl.

• Book club – 22 April

  Nice weather is coming! What is a better activity than reading books in the sun? Join the Life is Better in 3D Book Club!

  You can find all information and the registration form on our Insta or join our Whatsapp group! If you don't have Insta, you can sign up here. For other questions, you can send us an email at 3D@vu.nl.

  Practical information

  • Date & time: Tuesday, 22 April 2025 from 18:00 (you can come later if you want and you decide when you want to leave :-)
  • Location: 3D room
  • Audience: VU students
  • Language: English and Dutch
  • Insta
  • WhatsApp group
  • Sign up here if you don't have Insta.
  • For further questions, you can send an email to 3D@vu.nl.

• Ceramics – 23 April

  Get creative on Wednesday and unwind with our Life is Better in 3D ceramics session!

  You could make a plate, statue, jewelry box or something completely different as a present for yourself or someone else! You can find all information and the registration form on our Insta or join our Whatsapp group! If you don't have Insta, you can sign up here. For other questions, you can send us an email at 3D@vu.nl.

  Practical information

  • Date & time: Wednesday, 23 April 2025 from 18:00 (you can come later if you want and you decide when you want to leave :-)
  • Location: 3D room
  • Audience: VU students
  • Language: English and Dutch
  • Insta
  • WhatsApp group
  • Sign up here if you don't have Insta.
  • For further questions, you can send an email to 3D@vu.nl.

• Open stage – 15 May

  It's time for an Open stage again! On Thursday evening, May 15, all literary enthusiasts can gather in 3D to listen to each other's readings, but also to recite something themselves, such as a short story, poetry, but also a column or a song.

  The evening starts at 19:30 (walk-in from 19:00) and will last until approximately 21:00. Do you want to recite something? Let us know or send a message to t.c.l.lindhout@student.vu.nl/06 83458898. Try to limit your reading to a maximum of eight minutes. Of course, you are also more than welcome if you don't want to recite anything! See you then!

  Practical information

  • Date & time: Thursday, 15 May 2025 19:30 - 21:00
  • Location: 3D on campus
  • Audience: VU students and staff 
  • Language: Dutch
  • No need to sign up!
  • Free event.

• Finding Hope in Turbulent Times: special edition of the Martin Luther King lecture – 3 June

  Talk of hope today is pervasive, filled with the energy and promise of change. Yet, in a world of mounting crises, where solutions feel out of reach, and setbacks seem to outpace progress, hope can feel fragile - slipping away just when we need it most. How do we hold on to hope when reality seems to push against it?

  On 3 June, in this special edition of the Martin Luther King lecture, Yale theologian Willie Jennings will explore hope, not just as an aspiration or a feeling, but as a discipline and as work to be done. Hope requires courage, cultivation and deep wells of spirituality to keep from fading in the face of exhaustion and despair.

  Hope, for leaders, is not just something personal; it is also something they must carry for others. Jennings will reflect on the life of Martin Luther King Jr., for whom hope was never a given. It was an ongoing struggle, renewed daily in the face of injustice and disappointment. His spirituality–as a Baptist minister–did not erase doubt or difficulty, but it gave him the resilience to wrestle with the powers, again and again.

  Come and be part of this event, to be encouraged in hope. Admission is free, please register here.

  About the speakers

  Prof. Willie James Jennings
  Willie Jennings is the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Systematic Theology and Africana Studies at Yale Divinity School. He specialises in the areas of Christian thought, race theory, liberation theology and decolonial and environmental studies. He is the author of two books that received worldwide attention and praise, The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race, and After Whiteness: An Education in Belonging. Jennings is an ordained Baptist minister and has served as interim pastor for several North Carolina churches. A Calvin College graduate, Jennings received his M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary and his PhD in religion and ethics from Duke University.

  Prof. Azza Karam
  Azza Karam is the President and CEO of Lead Integrity, a global network of women of faith professionals in governance, sustainability, and leadership. An Egyptian professor and author, she has been a leading voice in integrating religion and sustainable development at the UN. She has held the Religion and Sustainable Development Chair at VU Amsterdam and serves on the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism.

  Prof. Dion Forster (host of the evening)
  Dion Forster is professor of Public Theology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. His research focuses on the intersection of faith and public life, particularly in areas such as social justice, human rights, and the politics of forgiveness. An ordained minister in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, Forster has also served as the Director of the Beyers Naudé Centre for Public Theology at Stellenbosch University (South Africa).

  About the Martin Luther King Lecture
  Martin Luther King's non-violent commitment to equality continues to be a source of inspiration today. Through his speeches and actions, he continues to inspire many to build bridges and overcome resistance. VU Amsterdam’s Martin Luther King Lecture commemorates his work and serves as a source of inspiration.

  This extra edition marks the 60th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s honorary doctorate from VU Amsterdam (1965), with a focus on the university’s annual theme of ‘hope’.

  The event is organized by the newly founded VU School of Religion and Theology, in collaboration with the Believers Church Conference (1-4 June), an academic gathering of Baptists and Mennonites - two traditions closely linked to King’s legacy. This extra lecture is supported by the Martin Luther King Lecture Foundation. The regular VU MLK Lecture will take place in October.

  Programme

  The programme will begin with a brief welcome by VU Rector Magnificus Prof. Jeroen Geurts and host Dion Forster. This will be followed by the lecture from Willie Jennings, with responses from one or two respondents, including Azza Karam, who will offer a Muslim perspective. The evening will conclude with a conversation on the theme. Throughout the event, the gospel choir G-Roots will provide musical accompaniment.

  Practical information

  • Date & time: Tuesday, 3 June 2025 19:30 - 21:30
  • Location: Aula
  • Admission is free, please register here.

Wellbeing

• Spring Mini Retreat – 5 April

  There is only so much time during the week. In our usual events we barely have the time to scratch the surface. Of course, our meditations, reading clubs and dialogues are nice, but what a delight would it be to have a full day together? Join us for a day's worth of programme, with luscious time for reflection and connection.

  During this Mini Retreat, we gather the best of what NEWConnective has to offer. We have lengthy conversations about Life's Big Questions. We turn inward during a meditation. We go out into the city. We read a bunch of different texts. And, of course, we share a Dutch lunch and a good meal. But we try some different things as well, like a tea ceremony and short films. Basically, we try to gather a bunch of nice people and a bunch of nice inspirational sources.

  Unlike our usual activities, this programme will have a cost: we ask you to contribute €17,50 to cover some of the programme expenses. Also unlike our usual activities, we have limited spots, so if you're thinking of signing up, don't postpone too long. Lastly – again, unlike our usual activities – we'll be meeting off-campus. One of our partners, the Protestant Church of Amsterdam, has been so kind to sponsor us with one of their lovely locations. We'll be meeting in the attic of the Nieuwe Keizersgracht 1A.

  This probably still leaves you with some questions. Below you can find a program as detailed as we currently have to offer. If this doesn't answer your questions, please do reach out to us: newconnective@vu.nl. You can also ask your questions in the dedicated Mini Retreat WhatsApp chat. Please note that joining this chat doesn't automatically sign you up for the event itself.

  Programme

  • 9:45 a.m. » Doors Open
  • 10:00 a.m. » Croissants and Conversation
    We start our day together with coffee (or tea, of course), croissants and our infamous deck of cards: Life’s Big Questions. But we have more time together than usual, so we’ll throw in a twist.
  • 11:00 a.m. » Exploring the Senses
    After chatting, it’s time for silence. We guide you through a basic meditation that focuses on the senses, to get comfortable in the space we share for the day.
  • 11:30 a.m. » ✺
  • 12:15 p.m. » Reading Great Minds
    The day has started, it’s almost time for lunch, and we should be ready for some substance. Together we read three texts across genres, connected in a theme. We take these texts with us throughout the day.
  • 1:00 p.m. » ✺ (lunch)
  • 1:45 p.m. » Walking and Gathering
    We’ve been inside for long enough now: let’s go out! With a set of texts and questions in the back of our mind, we explore the eastern part of the city center and gather what we come across.
  • 3:15 p.m. » ✺
  • 3:30 p.m. » Tea Beyond Tea
    We share in an interpretation of a tea ceremony to warm our bodies from our time outside, and get ready for what’s next.
  • 4:00 p.m. » Discussing Great Minds
    We return to our previously read texts and see what’s in them.
  • 5:30 p.m. » ✺
  • 6:00 p.m. » ✺ (dinner)
  • 7:30 p.m. » Short, Short Movie Night
    With the collective attention span of a six-year-old, we opt for short movies over a regular length one. We explore the richness of the medium, from video clip to animation, and in-game documentary to fiction.
  • 8:30 p.m. » Debriefing
    We check in before we, eventually, check out.
  • 9:00 p.m. » ✺
  • 10:00 p.m. » Doors Close

  Practical information

  • Date & time: Saturday, 5 April from 9:45 AM till 10:00 PM
  • Location: Protestant Church of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Keizersgracht 1A
  • Costs: €17,50
  • Please sign up here.

• Yoga – 15 April

  Release some stress in between classes with our Life is Better in 3D yoga class!

  You can find all information and the registration form on our Insta or join our Whatsapp group! If you don't have Insta, you can sign up here. For other questions, you can send us an email at 3D@vu.nl.

  Practical information

  • Date & time: Tuesday, 15 April 2025 from 13:30 (you can come later if you want and you decide when you want to leave :-)
  • Location: 3D room
  • Audience: VU students
  • Language: English and Dutch
  • Insta
  • WhatsApp group
  • Sign up here if you don't have Insta.
  • For further questions, you can send an email to 3D@vu.nl.

• Meditation sessions – every Monday & Wednesday

  Need a break? join us for meditation in the silence room (HG-1A53).

  More and more people meditate, they do so because of mental health, and longing for rest, focus or balance. Some meditate because of the stress-reducing effects or because of their religious or ideological beliefs. Whatever your reason may be for meditating, it is often easier to do so in communities, where you can make friends and share experiences. So joins us for weekly meditations, in a silent meditation group, a traditional Buddhist and/or a Christian meditation.

  Meditation Group, every Monday 12:55-1:15 PM in the Silence Room (HG-1A53). Join us in silence to meditate in whatever way you prefer. We share our experiences afterwards.

  Buddhist Meditation, every Wednesday 12:45–1:15 PM in the Silence Room (HG-1A53). Join a guided Buddhist meditation, and share a silent practice with each other.

  You are very welcome to use the Silence Room (HG-1A53) for whatever ideological or religious silence practice when no activities take place. 

• VU in Motion – every Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday

  VU in Motion: are you in?

  VU in Motion offers low-threshold activities during your work/study day for a good reset of your body and mind, just get out of your head and into your body. Just in your work clothes, so easy!

  • Tuesday 12.30-12.45 p.m.: Qi Gong* | location: Hall NU building
  • Tuesday 13.00-13.15 p.m.: Salsa (also for beginners) | location: Hall NU building
  • Wednesday 12.15-12.30 p.m.: Standing Yoga | location: hall OZW building
  • Thursday 12.30-12.45 p.m.: Qi Gong* | location: Main Building, in front of the entrance to the VU Bookstore.
  • Thursday 13.00-13.15 p.m.: Salsa (also for beginners) | location: Main Building, in front of the entrance to the VU Bookstore.

  All exercise breaks are 15 minutes. Everyone is welcome for a short, tasty exercise break in your work or study day!  

  VU in Motion   
  VU in Motion aims to get employees and students to move a little more on and around the VU Campus. It has been scientifically proven that (more) movement leads to (more) physical and mental health. VU is also part of the sitting culture that has almost replaced natural movement worldwide. And we want to change that! Each week we will provide a tip or a fun fact to encourage you to meet one of the three movement guidelines. These guidelines for adults and seniors are as follows:   

  • Movement is good; more movement is better. Do at least 150 (preferably 210) minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise, spread over several days.   
  • Do 2-3x/week an intensive(er) workout of 30-60 min, focusing on strength and conditioning, for the elderly additionally combined with balance exercises.   
  • And avoid sitting still! In other words, half an hour of movement/sports a day cannot compensate for the damage of further prolonged sitting still. 2 minutes of moderate-intensity movement every 20 minutes has very positive effects.

  * VU in Motion chooses to substitute Tai Chi for the more approachable Qi Gong. Qi Gong, like Tai Chi, focuses on movement and breathing exercises for health and well-being, but without the complex movement forms of Tai Chi.

  Qi Gong is an ancient Chinese movement form that not only strengthens your body, but balances your whole being (body, mind and spirit) by activating the vital life energy, or Qi.

  This life energy flows through your body via meridians (energy pathways that run through your body and connect all organs). By practising Qi Gong, these meridians can be activated and balanced, leading to greater vitality and inner peace. It improves flexibility and mobility , strengthens the immune system, increases energy, reduces stress, improves focus and concentration, increases emotional balance and breathing. A short 15-minute Qi Gong session already gives great results, so perfect for an invigorating break activity!

Workshops & training sessions

• Workshop Harmony in Conversation: How to Disagree Well – 10 April

  Do you get overwhelmed in an argument? Do you find yourself turning conversations into debates? Are you sick of arguing over simple things?

  If so, join us for a conversational research-backed workshop on productive disagreement to better understand how disagreement works! Get to know our take-away tool to address disagreement and protect your peace. We invite anyone interested in having better conversations in your personal and professional lives.

  Interested?

  If so, spots are limited - please sign up by Sunday, April 6! In case of any questions or if you signed up but can't make it to the event, please email: b.sallai@vu.nl.

  Programme

  • 14:45 Walk-in with snacks and drinks
  • 15:00 Presentation on step-by-step unfolding of disagreement 
  • 15:45 Break 
  • 16:00 Group activity on exploring different interactional paths 
  • 16:45 Wrap-up and closing 

  Practical information

  • Date & time: Thursday, 10 April 15:00 - 17:00
  • Location: 3D on campus
  • Audience: VU students and staff
  • Language: English
  • Free entry
  • Please sign up here.
  • Organised by VU Master students Communication and Information Studies.

• Work on your fear of failure – 7 & 21 May, 4 & 18 June, 2 July

  In this course you will learn to understand your own fear of failure and gain insight in your study-related stress. 

  Do you understand the material, but you still fail your exams? Is there so much to do that you can only focus on studying, or that you can do nothing at all? Do you experience so much stress before a deadline that you decide to just leave it? Do you procrastinate, have issues with concentration or motivation because an exam incites so much stress? Or do you put so much of your time and energy into studying that you do not have any fun or rest any more?

  In this training you will learn to understand your own fear of failure and gain insight in your study-related stress. Alongside various exercises and assignments you will learn how to be more in control and break your own vicious circle of anxiety. The goal is to learn to be more relaxed about studying, and about other worries that are in the way of an optimal performance.

  Please go this page to find more information and to register.

  Check out the entire range of workshops and training courses for students on the page Courses to optimize studying.

• Three ways to improve your study Module 1: The negative spiral – 12 May

  Psychologists reveal: THREE WAYS to improve your study (and personal) life!!!

  You are ready to change (the way you study), but are not sure how to get started. 

  This module is part of three short modules offered by the VU student psychological counsellors, we will focus on themes that students regularly tell us they struggle with: procrastination, stress and feeling stuck in a negative spiral. 

  The aim of each module is to give you insights into your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviours - and a set of practical tools that you can use when you hit the books. 

  A series consists of three modules that you can follow consecutively or separately. It is not obligatory to do all three; you sign up for a single module. This makes it more easily accessible and demand driven. The modules may also be a nice refresher for students who previously met with a student psychological counsellor or completed a training or workshop! 

  In this module we take a closer look at the negative spiral (also known as a vicious circle) you can get stuck in. This is an exercise from cognitive behavioural therapy which gives insight into the connection between what you think, feel, and do. This approach also gives you tools on how to break the spiral. 

  Please go this page to find more information and to register.

  Other modules in this series:

  • Working on... finding your personal balance
  • Working on… taking action

  Check out the entire range of workshops and training courses for students on the page Courses to optimize studying.

• Three ways to improve your study Module 2: Balance and relaxation – 19 May

  Psychologists reveal: THREE WAYS to improve your study (and personal) life!!!

  You are ready to change (the way you study), but are not sure how to get started. 

  This module is part of three modules offered by the VU student psychological counsellors, we will focus on themes that students regularly tell us they struggle with: procrastination, stress and feeling stuck in a negative spiral. 

  The aim of each module is to give you insights into your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviours - and a set of practical tools that you can use when you hit the books. 

  A series consists of three modules that you can follow consecutively or separately. It is not obligatory to do all three; you sign up for a single module. This makes it more easily accessible and demand driven. The modules may also be a nice refresher for students who previously met with a student psychological counsellor or completed a training or workshop! 

  In this module it is all about balance. When experiencing problems with procrastination or motivation, but also with stress, it is important to look at how you deal with your own energy distribution. Do you spend too much time on your studies, or too little? How do you recognise the signals your body gives that it is time to pump the brakes? With our help, take the first steps towards achieving a better balance. 

  Please go this page to find more information and to register.

  Other modules in the series:

  • Working on... understanding your negative spiral
  • How to… take action

  Check out the entire range of workshops and training courses for students on the page Courses to optimize studying.

• Three ways to improve your study Module 3: Take action – 2 June

  Psychologists reveal: THREE WAYS to improve your study (and personal) life!!!

  You are ready to change (the way you study), but are not sure how to get started. 

  This module is part of three modules offered by the VU student psychological counsellors, we will focus on themes that students regularly tell us they struggle with: procrastination, stress and feeling stuck in a negative spiral. 

  The aim of each module is to give you insights into your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviours - and a set of practical tools that you can use when you hit the books. 

  A series consists of three modules that you can follow consecutively or separately. It is not obligatory to do all three; you sign up for a single module. This makes it more easily accessible and demand driven. The modules may also be a nice refresher for students who previously met with a student psychological counsellor or completed a training or workshop! 

  In this module we work on behaviour. Sometimes you want to change, but where do you start? We spend time on helping you gain an overview, of both your short- and long-term plans. This is about taking action and getting a grip on your day. Useful for everyone: whether you procrastinate, like to socialise, or cannot see the wood for the trees. 

  Please go this page to find more information and to register.

  Other modules in this series:

  • Working on... understanding your negative spiral
  • Working on... finding your personal balance

  Check out the entire range of workshops and training courses for students on the page Courses to optimize studying. 

More wellbeing