Free and low-cost activities to support your mental health
Getting out in nature is a simple and easy way to improve your mental health. There are lots of beautiful, green spaces across Oxford and Swindon where you can walk, exercise, stop for a picnic or just hang out with your friends. Headington Hill Park, an arboretum covering 20 acres and featuring exotic trees, is just a stone's throw from Headington Campus and is free to enter. If you’re in Swindon, Lydiard Park is a beautiful historic estate worth visiting as a break from your studies. Fancy a bit of a challenge? Parkrun is a free, community event where you can walk, jog, run or volunteer at local parks. Find your nearest route on the parkrun website.
Taking the time to enjoy an interesting piece of art, or exploring history and culture with friends is a great way to treat your mind. Luckily, there are plenty of art galleries and museums in Oxford that you can visit without spending a penny! Ashmolean Museum, History of Science Museum and Modern Art Oxford are all free to enter and make for a great day out.
There are various museums and galleries in Swindon that you can enter for low cost, such as the Lydiard House Museum, which you can access all year starting from 1 April for £10.60. If technology is more your thing, you can visit the Museum of Computing for just £3.
(If you love this kind of activity, sign up to know when you can next purchase a Student Art Pass for just £5, which gives you free or reduced-price entry to hundreds of museums, galleries and historic houses across the UK, café and shop discounts, and 50% off major exhibitions!)
Are you a lover of plants and nature? Oxford Botanic Garden is the oldest botanic garden in the UK, and is home to over 5,000 different plant species! This makes for a lovely activity to help boost your mental health, and you can get in for free when you present your student ID at reception. You can also get in free at the Harcourt Arboretum just 20 minutes south of Oxford.
There are a wide range of physical and mental health benefits of practising yoga, including increased flexibility and strength and reduced levels of stress. Brookes Sport are now running a weekly free yoga class for students every Tuesday at 5.00pm in JHB207, John Henry Brookes Building, Headington Campus. This class is suitable for anyone, whether you’re a complete beginner or someone who practises yoga regularly. If you’re not able to make these sessions - there are lots of free resources and videos online to help you get started, either alone or with friends, from the comfort of your home or in a suitable outdoor space.
Setting aside a few minutes to write down your thoughts on a regular basis can help you to manage your anxieties and be more aware of your emotions. As a Brookes student, you can access the journal and goal setter tools on Togetherall, to track your mental health journey and identify things that may be important to you.
Practising meditation can help you to regulate your emotions and reduce feelings of anxiety and stress. You can begin meditating by yourself, or make use of free online relaxation resources. If you’d like to try lightly guided group breathing meditation, join the Multifaith Chaplaincy on Wednesdays at 12 noon in the Garden Room, Buckley Building, Headington Campus, for 20-minute sessions. There’s no need to book - just turn up!
Want to get outside and go for a walk but not sure what route to take? Or maybe you’d just like to meet new people and be in good company while you stay active? The Multifaith Chaplaincy brings students and staff together every Tuesday at 12 noon for a regular Walk and Talk. The routes are easy and accessible, but you can contact the Chaplaincy team if you have any questions.
Arts and crafts allow you to channel your creativity and take some time away from the stresses of everyday life to have fun and relax. Crafternoon Tea is a space for students and staff to get together every Wednesday from 1.00pm to 3.00pm in the Garden Room, Buckley Building, Headington Campus, to share craft skills over a chat. You could even donate your handmade goods to local charities, which is an additional feel-good element of the group.
There are lots of ways to get involved with biodiversity initiatives and events at Brookes, which will get you outside and contributing positively to your local area, which in turn can help boost your self-esteem and mental wellbeing. You can join The Hedgehog Friendly Campus Team to meet new people and stay active by taking part in litter picks, helping provide safe habitats for local wildlife and much more! Contact the Environmental Sustainability Team to learn more about opportunities to participate in bird counts, evening bat walks and other biodiversity events.
