The Department of Earth Science and Engineering made time to talk about stress for National Stress Awareness Day on 7 November 2018.

The de-stress tree was the highlight. Attendees wrote down how they de-stress, and hung it on a tree. This elicited genuine conversations about people's experience facing stress as students and staff, and how we address it: From talking to friends to cooking, dancing, or listening to heavy metal music.

How do you de-stress?

“Practise the guitar and play LOUD heavy metal music”

“Getting away from your desk”

“Sit and drink a pint of REAL ALE with my flatmates”

The many ways our ESE community relaxes were captured to inform future group activities.

While relaxing music played, colleagues caught up with each other, grabbed a cup of tea or soft drink, and had some fun: Juggling stress balls, colouring in, or popping some bubble wrap to release tension.

We celebrated with cake and shared the resources and support available through the College: free meditation sessions, advice on stress for students, information for staff on wellbeing, and the Department’s Mental Health Awareness Team.