LSESU introduces Wind Down Wednesday program

By Thomas Chau

The LSESU is introducing a new initiative called Wind Down Wednesday, which aims to allow students to relax after a stressful week, and better utilise their free time on Wednesdays.

LSESU Community and Welfare Officer David Gordon proposed and developed the initiative that started on 23 October, including a wide range of activities such as yoga retreats and visual art workshops.

When asked about the main aim of the initiative, Gordon highlighted the level of stress and pressure that LSE students experience as the reason why Wind Down Wednesday is important.

He told the Beaver, “I just hope that students take time out to think about their wellbeing, to destress, and disconnect for a short time from their busy lives as LSE students…I’m hoping to put on plenty of creative arts workshops, calming sessions for students to sit and chat away from work, and other events with a focus on learning how to better look after yourself.”

Gordon added that the idea for Wind Down Wednesday came from his flatmate who suggested that Wednesday afternoons are a good time when undergraduate students don’t have classes timetabled. Gordon said, “I thought that those Wednesday afternoons were a great opportunity to emphasise that it’s okay not to work or study all day every day.”

The initial student reaction to the program has been positive. Farooq Sayed, a first-year Philosophy and Economics student said: “To me, any opportunity to experience a moment of serenity in this broke and hectic student life is a good one.” He added: “I can see myself going to more of these events in the future for sure, it gives me a chance to learn some new skills, meet new people, and keep my own mental health in check!”

Gordon also explained how the initiative fits into his wider policy objectives as Community and Welfare Officer. “Lobbying the school to better fund its services, and ensuring that LSE is a place for people to find community and feel supported sits right alongside an initiative like Wind Down Wednesday, which looks to promote student wellbeing, self care, and a sense of belonging at LSE,” he stated.

Some students have expressed some skepticism about the usefulness of the initiative. Maisie Ng, a first-year Law student said, “I feel like some of the events with Wind Down Wednesday are a bit repetitive of the other services already available at LSE.” She added, “I would worry for the number of participants in Wind Down Wednesday activities, given that there are already so many substitutes around campus.”

In response to the above comments, Gordon said that Wind Down Wednesday is still in its early stages of development and that he would be open to feedback and different suggestions on what activities the program should run.

Gordon told the Beaver: “Wind Down Wednesday is a new initiative, and so is open to ideas. If you think there’s a great way for students to wind down on a Wednesday, look no further – contact me on Facebook, Instagram, or my email su.communitywelfare@lse.ac.uk.”

Going forward, Gordon hopes to work more closely with societies at LSE to “showcase the creativity of LSE students and to connect them to wonderful groups of people they may not otherwise meet.”

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