Chaplaincy Pop-Ups

The months of April and May are particularly busy and stressful for many students, as they are completing final assignments and preparing for exams. 

Here at the Medway campus, between the Drill Hall Library, GKUnions and Chaplaincy I think we have done a rather splendid job in seeking to support students.  We've had de-stress advice, exam tips, relaxation techniques, pilates tasters, film showings, nail care, massage, pets as therapy dogs, etc, etc.

For the past TEN weeks I have spent a day a week in the library giving out exam tips, de-stress advice and generally engaging with students who are feeling the pressure of exams, etc.

In addition, I have given away 322 bottles of water, a plethora of sweets, chocolates and lollies, and I've lost count of how many inspirational bookmarks have been taken. All I know is they are very popular and I am constantly printing, cutting, laminating and cutting again :-0

Some student have been nonplussed by me giving away 'FREE STUFF'!!  But I've had some lovely comments. One student said, "It's really nice that people understand how stressful this time is."  Another told me that she had picked up this bookmark last year and that it had helped to carry her through her first year of study ...

The 'exam de-stress' post I did on April 26th has to-date received 0ver 530 page views!!!

TABLEtalk - Truth or Lies

The Dictionary Game is one of my favourites.  So this is what we played at TABLEtalk last night.
Teams are presented with an obscure English word and have to write a dictionary definition, what they think it might mean.  The leader then reads out the made up definition along with the correct one and teams have to vote which they think is right (can't vote or yourselves).

See if you can guess the true meaning of these words (answers at the end)  ...

DOMPTEUSE
A.  An old word meaning arrogance, used especially in relation to men who take pride in their looks.
B.  A situation where the use of a certain object in not allowed.
C.  A person showing irrational behaviour.
D.  A female animal trainer.

IMPAVID
A.  Someone who is fearless, not easily scared.
B.  A medieval term for an obstacle, something impenetrable.
C.  The action of removing pavement.
D.  A road that has not been paved, especially small village pathways.

ZIBIB
A.  A article of clothing worn on the head.
B.  Another word for sultanas.
C.  Something that annoys others because it's noisy.
D.  A type of alcoholic drink made from raisins.

RAMPICK
A.  A diseased or dead tree.
B.  A group of lower class, disorderly people.
C.  A gardening tool used for cleaning.
D.  A slang word meaning to randomly pick something.

If you guess the correct meaning you get 10 points. 
If another team guesses the definition you wrote, you get 5 points.

Bronze medal:
Lesley & Maimuna
35 points

Silver medal:

Navid & Michel

40 points

Gold medal:

Nishtha & Areti

60 points

ANSWERS:
Dompteuse
D.  A female animal trainer.
Impavid
A.  Someone who is fearless, not easily scared.
Zibib
D.  A type of alcoholic drink made from raisins.
Rampick
A.  A diseased or dead tree.

My all time favourite definition came from Navid & Michel  ...  Rampick means to randomly pick something.  I'm now on a personal mission to see this definition introduced into the Oxford dictionary!!!

MEDFEST

If you didn't get along to the MEDFEST yesterday you really missed out on some great entertainment.  I only got to see a portion of what was on offer but thoroughly enjoyed my time there.

The Deep End was totally transformed with fabulous inflatables ... I'd like to have taken the elephant home :-)

 

There were a couple of fairground rides which were very popular  ...  not with me though, I wanted to keep my mushroom & halloumi burger right where it was supposed to be!!

The human juke boxes were simply brilliant!!  Such a simple concept but massively entertaining.  I took soooooo many photos, but here are my favourites ...

Maybe I could try this with my Picasso??

Then came 'MOTOSIKAI' performed by the Race Horse Company.  Three madcap circus artists from Finland.

 

I don't often put photos of semi-naked men on my blog, but I'll make an exception here largely because he's juggling axes!!  Also because I liked his tattoos.

OUCH!!!

There was so much more on offer  ...  balloon modelling, face-painting, silent disco (should've tried that) and lots of great music.  May this be the first MEDFEST of many :-)

Summer Ball

As always, a fab time at the FES Summer Ball. 
Nice to get glammed up (doesn't happen very often)!!

The marquee looked marvellous, the food was fabulous and the bangra dancers brilliant.

Here are some official photos ...