Christmas hoodies and chocolate boxes are on promotion at Essentials, on the Canterbury campus, this festive period. View all the deals at the Kent Union website.

We are pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications for the 2015/16 Student Projects Grant Scheme. In January 2015, grants totalling almost £65,000 were made to a range of projects across the University. We are delighted that in the 2015/16 academic year we are able to award £50,000, with individual grants up to a maximum of £5,000.

The Student Projects Grant Scheme is funded by the Kent Opportunity Fund, which supports students by providing scholarships to enhance their academic studies, offering bursaries to assist individuals who are suffering financial hardship, and funding projects that help students to develop their personal and professional skills.

The Student Projects Grant Scheme encourages individuals to bid for funds to run projects that will enhance the student experience and employability of Kent students, offering them the opportunity to hone their skills and gain vital experience outside of the seminar room.

Applications are welcome from student groups in Kent Union, departments, faculties and schools across the University, including our campuses at Canterbury and Medway, our centre in Tonbridge and our European centres in Brussels, Paris, Athens and Rome.

Application forms and guidelines can be obtained from the Development Office or downloaded from the Kent Opportunity Fund webpage

Applicants will be notified of their application results by late January. For any enquiries, please contact Eva Chow on 01227 824547 or at W.K.E.Chow@kent.ac.uk.

This Alcohol Awareness Week (16-20 Nov), we are encouraging students to think about their drinking habits and the impact it has on their wellbeing.

Today’s post suggests alcohol-free activity ideas.

As a student, a lot of time is spent in the Library. When you have a break from your studies, going out clubbing seems like the perfect way to enjoy yourself. But clubbing can get boring after a while.

So why not explore the different options? There are plenty of ways to enjoy yourself and de-stress instead of going out and often they are cheaper than clubbing.

We’ve got some great ideas for nights out and even nights in that don’t centre on booze. Get your friends together and give a few a try!

Try a mock-tail

Creating alcohol-free drinks with party appeal is easy. From a Lime Ricky to a Virgin Mary, a real Shirley Temple to a Sparkling Pom Collins you will be spoilt for choice. For recipes and other ideas see the Drinkaware website.

Come dining

A dinner party with friends is a great bonding activity that doesn’t have to be expensive. Try to start a tradition of cooking a nice meal together every Friday night and split the cost. You can do a dinner for £1.50 each, if not less, and it gives you all a chance to catch up.

Occasionally it’s nice to treat yourself by having dinner at a restaurant. Plenty of restaurant chains offer student discount and have vouchers you can download.

Catch a movie

From romance to action, comedy to drama the cinema has it all. So why not be wowed by the latest blockbuster or inspired by an independent arthouse film at your local cinema. Or if you fancy a cosy night in under the duvet there is plenty to choose from at home whether you fancy a movie marathon or a boxset binge.

• Canterbury – Gulbenkian, Odeon and Curzon
• Medway – Odeon

Get active

This is as simple as it sounds. Think of taking up a sport, trying an exercise class or going to a gym. You get to keep fit, meet people and learn something new.

Kent Sport offers a huge programme of sport and recreational opportunities at every sporting level in Canterbury.

If you’re based at Medway, check out Medway Park’s activities and sports.

Enjoy a night out at the theatre

Comedy, drama, music, and dance are some of the fantastic live entertainment available at theatres. With many offering great discounts to students they can be great value too.

• Canterbury – Gulbenkian and Marlowe Theatre
• Medway – Central and Brook Theatres

Pamper yourself

You will find plenty of discount spa days online or why not organise a pamper night at home with your flatmates? You’ll probably feel so relaxed afterwards that you won’t even want to contemplate ruining your Zen with alcohol.

Take up a hobby

Make the most of your time outside of your course by volunteering or joining a society. It’s a great way to make friends, learn something new and share your passion whether that’s musical taste, your faith, a mutual love of art, or just a way of life.

Be a kid

Whether it’s a roller disco or bowling it is great to remember your childhood and indulge in some good old fashioned fun.

See what’s on

You will be amazed at how much is happening at not just the University but in the local area. Special events provide countless great nights out from art to food, sport to history, concerts to festivals, and even spooky ghost tours.

• Canterbury – My Canterbury
• Medway – Visit Medway
• University Events Calendar

Get up close and personal with artists and experts at the Turner Contemporary’s  At Risk: Art Matters symposium

Sat 5 Dec, 11.00 – 16.00

£12 / £8 / free for University of Kent students

All ticket purchases go towards our charitable work

How can we understand the idea of risk, with its the dangers and opportunities, in relation to art? Discussion of this wide-ranging issue will be led by art historian Margaret Iversen, poet and cultural historian Hillel Swartz, philosopher Matthew Kieran, artists Peter Kennard and Claire Fontaine, curator Ele Carpenter and Sociologist Michael Guggenheim.

Inspired by our Risk exhibition, the event is co-organised by History of Art at the University of Kent and Risk associate curator Francesca Laura Cavallo.

Don’t miss your chance to discuss Risk in art. See the full schedule.

If you have opened an unexpected attachment from an email within the last few weeks, please contact helpdesk (contact details below) asap.

Prior to 9 November when we introduced additional protection to our mail servers, a large number of emails mainly purporting to be bills, invoices or similar have been sent to staff in a sustained attack. The attachments contained malware which if activated allows passwords and other data to be harvested from your machine. If you have opened the attachment your machine may be infected. If you simply opened the email but not the attachment you should not need to worry. Please delete any such emails. If you opened the attachment (or similar unexpected), or have clicked on unexpected links and have concerns, please contact us for advice asap (contact details below).

Students: call the IT & Library Support Desk on 01227 82 4999

Staff: call the IT Service Desk on 01227 82 4888

Never open attachments, click on links, or reply to unexpected emails. Most will be malicious.

Chaplaincy and the Meditation and Mindfulness Society are hosting a Vigil for Peace outside Drill Hall Library tomorrow from 12.30.

In light of the recent world crisis in Egypt, Beirut, Paris and for all places and peoples suffering we gather together to offer our peace, respect and solidarity.

Thursday 19 November from 12.30, outside Drill Hall Library. Hosted by Medway Meditation and Mindfulness Society and Medway Campus Chaplaincy
Contact: campus Chaplain Sally Apokis 07771 624795

It is Interfaith Week across the UK and here are some special ways Medway Campus is celebrating faith this week:

1. Pilkington Atrium – Interfaith stall with faith freebies and a focus on our campus faith societies
2. Pilkington Atrium – ‘Peace prayers around the world’ a world map to leave your prayers/hopes/words of peace
3. Join the Meditation and Mindfulness society Monday @ 17.00 in ‘the Cafe’ 2nd floor Pembroke North (RM 212) for peaceful meditation and mindfulness
4. Interfaith Cafe – Thursday 12.00 – 14.00 Free lunch to share with one and all at ‘the Cafe’ 2nd floor Pembroke North (RM 212)
5. A ‘vigil for peace’ on campus date and time to be confirmed
6. The Sikh Society is launching Friday from midday in the Atrium Pilkington come and support them.

Starting next month (Monday, December 7), the UK’s largest coach operator is to begin turning the wheels on the new round-the-clock straight-to-the-terminal service – which will be the only means of travelling between Gatwick and Kent direct via public transport.

The service calls at both University of Kent campuses, stopping at Keynes Bus Stop, Canterbury and Dock Road, Medway. Pick up and drop off points will include Canterbury, Chatham, Gillingham, Maidstone, Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate. Travel times will be up to 45 minutes quicker than their rail counterparts, all of which involve at least one change.

The dedicated National Express service will serve both terminals from locations throughout Kent up to eight times a day, with journey times taking as little as an hour with tickets on sale now.

“With so many passengers and employees regularly travelling between Gatwick and Kent we are delighted that National Express will be providing a direct transport link. By increasing connectivity with Kent and providing the only direct public transport link we look forward to welcoming even more passengers to the airport.” – Gatwick Airport Chief Commercial Officer, Guy Stephenson.

National Express is Britain’s biggest coach operator serving over 900 destinations, including towns, cities and major airports across the UK. The coach company operates around 19 million journeys each year, around a third of which are to airports.

Online fares start at £5 one-way and the cheapest available fares can be found using their dedicated Low Fare Finder.

For further information visit our National Express webpage.