You really should know about Oasis. You should also tell a friend. I am using ‘should’ a lot and that isn’t good. I should cut that out.
The places we hang out influence our mental health. Hang out in nice places, get a mental health boost. Hang out in nasty cluttered places, our mental health takes a hit. We see this basic phenomenon in action in the relationship between time in nature and mental health.
You can harness this in your everyday life on campus, by finding and leveraging places around the uni that put you in a good frame of mind. For Bedford, this might mean a walk around the lake or down to Sturt. For Tonsley that might mean a coffee under cover, or time in the Tonsley garden [I am not as familiar with other campuses – let me know if you have found great spaces on other campuses]
But not all places need to be ‘nature’ per se.
Recently, on a day when I was hiding from someone, I hung out in the library. I discovered I really enjoyed working there. I liked the vibe. Quiet but constant movement and activity.
A place that I know is liked by many students is the Oasis Community Centre.
Located on the bottom level of the function centre opposite Car Park 5 on the Bedford Park, the Oasis Community Centre is a home away from home for many students.
Of benefit to students……….
✅ places to hang out, alone or with friends, including a dedicated quiet space
✅ places to plug your laptop in to get work done
✅ a fully functioning kitchen to prepare food
✅ kind faces of staff (Jacob and Magnolia), chaplains (Dave) and volunteers to ask questions
✅ big open room with views out into the forest, with lots of natural light
✅ Winter warmers free soup on Wednesdays
✅ Meditation sessions on Wednesday and Friday
✅ Flinders Market on Thursdays (free food!!)
✅ Conversations groups and Flinders Mates – to make new acquaintances and friends
If you’ve not checked it out, my challenge to you is to drop in and have a look. If it is your cup of tea, then enjoy a cup of tea ☕ and settle in. If it is not, there are other great spaces around the uni. If you know of one, let me know in the comments below.
And if you can’t take yourself to a nice location, consider using pictures to bring nice locations to you.