Being kind to yourself and others is something we should all practise and a message that’s even more important during the current pandemic and lockdown.

This week is Random Acts of Kindness Week (14-20 February). Here are some suggestions on how you can show kindness during lockdown:

1.Organise a virtual get-together for someone who’s going through a rough time.

2.Follow some positive accounts on social media, for example @kindness.news, @wholesome_planet and @the_happy_broadcast on Instagram. If a post brightens your day, share it with others.

3.Drop a note to an elderly neighbour to ask them if they need anything. Help someone feel less isolated.

4.Allow yourself breaks from study and work. A screen break can also be beneficial.

5.Take time to check in with a friend you haven’t spoken to for a while.

6. Ask for help. If you’re struggling don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you are struggling mentally, check in with our Student Support and Wellbeing Team.

7.Invite your friends list to ‘like’ the page of a local business to help it grow.

8.Offer to make your housemate a cup of tea or a meal.

9.Always say thank you. You could take the time to thank a teacher or lecturer who has helped you.

10.Take some time for yourself! Be sure to set some time aside in the week to do something you enjoy.

Stuck in your room and need to get out, but nobody is around to go for a walk? We can put you in touch with a walking buddy. This is a great opportunity to get out, meet another student and energise your mind! Find a reason to leave your accommodation, get outside and enjoy the fresh air with someone else.

Or you might like to have a virtual coffee or tea (or other beverage!) break with someone else but find that your usual network isn’t available. We’ll randomly match you with another student who’s looking for a coffee break buddy and email you their contact details so you can get in touch to arrange when to virtually meet.

If you’d like to take part and find a buddy, simply email wellbeingevents@kent.ac.uk from your Kent email address giving your mobile number and saying that you’d like to be matched for a Walking Buddy or Just Coffee and stating which campus (Canterbury or Medway) by midday on Friday, and we’ll randomly match you with another student to meet the following week.

For more information and to sign up, check out the  Student Support and Wellbeing Events Calendar.

Please note: From 5 January 2021, England has entered a third national lockdown. You are able to meet with one other person from another household in a public place for exercise. Make you maintain social distancing (stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household.)

Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be complete without something chocolatey and indulgent, so why not round off your romantic dinner with this vegan chocolate mousse? Appropriately named Aphrodite’s Desire, this decadent dessert has been specially created by Kent’s very own Chef de Cuisine, Rob Grimer.

If you’ve never tried a silken tofu chocolate mousse before, this recipe will take you completely by surprise! It’s decadent, rich, velvety smooth, creamy, and unbelievably easy to whip up. You’ll never guess that this dessert is vegan.

You can try different variations of this recipe by adding extra ingredients and toppings, the possibilities are endless. Why not add a dollop of nut butter, some flaked almonds, or a sprinkling of freeze-dried raspberries?

Looking for the perfect main course to wow your loved one? Look no further than Ben Elsbury’s Dolche Vita-style chicken katsu curry.

Happy Valentine’s Day from Kent Hospitality! xoxoxo

Aphrodite’s Desire (vegan chocolate mousse with passionfruit yogurt)

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
• 200g silken tofu, drained
• 100g vegan dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ tbsp treacle
• ½ lime, juiced
• 2 passion fruits
• 2 tbsp caster sugar or to taste
• 2 tbsp thick vegan yogurt

Recipe:
1. Put the tofu, vanilla extract, treacle and lime juice in a large bowl and blend with a hand blender until silky smooth (you can use a whisk, but it will take slightly longer).

2. Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl sat over a saucepan of simmering water, being careful not to let the bowl touch the water.

3. Fold the melted chocolate into the tofu mixture. Spoon the mixture into two special glasses and refrigerate until set.

4. Cut both passion fruits in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds. Mix with the caster sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Fold half the passion fruit mix into the yogurt and leave in the fridge to set for about an hour.

5. To serve, remove the chocolate mousse from the fridge, top with a dollop of passion fruit yogurt, and pour over the rest of the passion fruit sauce. Garnish the dish with some grated chocolate and fresh fruit. Strawberries, raspberries, and tropical fruit will work well for this recipe.

Top tip: If you’re not vegan, you could swap the vegan yogurt for some thick Greek yogurt instead.

Did you have a go at this recipe? If yes, high five! Well done you! Why not share your attempt on Instagram and tag us @unikentfood?

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, so why not wow your sweetheart with a delicious homemade meal?

We’ve asked Kent’s Chef de Cuisines, Ben Elsbury and Rob Grimer, to come up with a scrumptious two-course Valentine’s Day dinner that’ll surprise and delight your loved one. These dishes are low cost and easy enough for any home chef to master, whatever the skill level.

Today we’re going to focus on the main course. For this, Ben’s chosen a student-friendly chicken katsu curry. This Japanese-inspired curry is a decadent treat with its golden, breaded chicken and smooth curry sauce. If you know someone who’s longing for a Dolche Vita-style katsu curry – this is the dish for them!

Getting the panko breadcrumbs to stick to the chicken is probably the trickiest part of this recipe, so take your time and read the instructions well.

Tomorrow we’re going to be publishing the recipe for Rob’s Valentine’s Day dessert, Aphrodite’s Desire, a vegan chocolate mousse with passionfruit yogurt. So, tune in tomorrow for more delicious declarations of love. 

Chicken Katsu Curry

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
• Vegetable oil
• 2 chicken breasts
• Juice of half a lime
• 10g coriander, chopped
• 1 egg
• 10ml milk
• 60g panko breadcrumbs.
• 40g plain flour
• 40g chip shop curry sauce mix
• 40g carrot, cut into thin matchsticks or grated
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 50g red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 50g white cabbage, thinly sliced
• 150g jasmine rice
• Salt and pepper
• ½ lime, cut into segments for garnish

Recipe:
1. Prepare all the ingredients and have them ready in front of you – it always makes cooking much easier. Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan and bring two saucepans of water to the boil (one with about 1litre of water for the rice, and one with 250ml of water for the curry sauce – this will be needed later in the recipe.)

2. Begin by preparing the raw slaw. Mix the carrot, red onion, red cabbage, white cabbage, chopped coriander, and lime juice in a bowl together. Season well with salt and pepper and leave in the fridge.

3. Now prepare the breading station. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour with some salt and pepper. In a second bowl, beat the egg and milk together. In a third bowl, add the panko breadcrumbs. Top tip: breading chicken can get a little messy, you might want a bowl of hot soapy water to hand.

4. Slice your chicken breasts in two widthways, starting from the thickest part of the breast. You should now have four thin chicken fillets.

5. Working with one piece at a time, dip each chicken breast into the flour, then shake off the excess. Next, run the chicken through the egg mixture, again, shake off the excess. Finally, dip the chicken into the panko breadcrumbs and coat on both sides. You can gently press the breadcrumbs into the chicken to make sure they stick. Lay the chicken pieces on a plate once done.

6. Heat a good glug of vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. When hot, add your chicken fillets and fry for a couple of minutes on each side until the breadcrumbs begin to colour.

7. Once golden, transfer the chicken pieces to a baking tray or oven proof dish and cook in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

8. While the chicken is in the oven, cook the jasmine rice to the packet instructions and add the curry sauce granules to the 250ml of boiling water, stirring well.

10. Once the chicken is cooked, slice the breaded chicken pieces into strips at an angle. To check your chicken is cooked, cut into the thickest part of the meat and check that its firm and white. Put the chicken back in the oven for a few minutes if it still looks pink.

11. To serve, generously heap the jasmine rice onto one side of your plate, add the slices of breaded chicken to the other, pop a little raw slaw on the side, and liberally pour the curry sauce on top. Serve with lime wedges.

Top tip 1: You can adapt this recipe to make it vegan. Simply substitute the chicken for firm tofu and use soy milk instead of the egg mixture.

Top tip 2: Can’t find panko breadcrumbs? You can use regular breadcrumbs instead.

Did you have a go at this recipe? If yes, high five! Well done you! Why not share your attempt on Instagram and tag us @unikentfood?

This is the first in a series of weekly email updates to help you make the most of the brilliant services still on offer at Kent.

It is a challenging time for everyone. We understand that you need key support information from us in a quick and clear way and so we have introduced these short, no-frills email updates to help you through lockdown and beyond.

Whether you are studying from home, or on campus, there are still loads of great virtual events happening and ways to connect with other students and staff.

At this difficult time we also want to make sure you are aware of all our support services, from our free mental health support to one-to-one chats with careers advisers.

Virtual events for you to try this week:

• Answering job application questions on Wednesday 10 February, 10.00-11.00
• Tuition fees and student finance – Student WebChat on Wednesday 10 February, 13.00-14.00
• Finding friends and coping with loneliness at university on Wednesday 10 February, 14.00-15.30
• Writing up your dissertation online session on Thursday 11 February, 13.00-13.15
• Zoom chat with the Residential Life Assistants on Sunday 14 February, 14.00-15.00

Browse all events

Support services for you:

• Wellbeing Team
• Careers and Employability Service
• Student Learning Advisory Service
• Financial Support
• Kent Union Advice Centre (for Canterbury students)
• GKSU Advice Centre (for Medway students)

Keep an eye on:

• Student Guide
• Our Instagram stories
• University emails

Let us know what you think of these updates by emailing communications@kent.ac.uk

The beginning of 2021 has brought a rather different experience for many University students than the usual start of term, with many working from home and isolating. However, no matter how different, it is still vitally important to socialise in a safe way and to stay active!

A great way to keep connected with your peers is through student groups and the great activities they have to offer, even in lockdown. Whether you want to become more active or make new friends, there will be a group perfect for you. You can still get involved with many of Kent’s student groups, with most running online events to keep students busy.

Getting Active

Many student groups are continuing to support students in getting active whilst they’re at home and away from campus. Here are a few great ways they are ensuring that you can stay active and involved!

• Yoga Society – This term the Yoga Society are running classes over Zoom, with a free taster class on the 6th of February for non-members. It’s a great way to get active, but also a good way to focus on your wellbeing and mental health.
• Kent Pole Fitness – To keep you active, Kent Pole Fitness is running strength and flex classes on Instagram Live. They will also be running yoga and other workshops on Zoom soon!
• Kent Dance – This term, Kent Dance is running weekly virtual dance classes in a range of styles, so you can do a class in a style you’re familiar with or try something completely new! They are also holding virtual fitness and technique workshops, and all classes are over Instagram Live, so you don’t even have to have your camera on. Next week, they will be running a Contemporary class to Lo Vas A Olvidar, and the week after there’s a Jazz class to Big Spender!

Great for socialising

Another important aspect a lot of our student groups are keen to help out with is ensuring students get to socialise! Although virtual, it’s a great way to keep in touch with like-minded people and make new friends.

• Business Society – This term, they are hosting a variety of online events, including challenges and quizzes for members to take part in and the chance to win prizes.
• Marketing Society – The Marketing Society will be running online socials ranging from quizzes to online games. Some previous socials included playing games like Pictionary and Cards Against Humanity. Also, you can keep up with what’s going on through their Instagram page, where they post lots of interactive Instagram Stories so that members can stay involved in the society.
• Women’s Lacrosse – For members, they are holding fun Zoom socials, where freshers can get a chance to meet and speak to other members. Hopefully, they will be able to also start hosting sports classes soon!
• Canterbury Homeless Outreach – If you’re looking for a chance to volunteer, Canterbury Homeless Outreach are running outreaches to support the vulnerable homeless community. These outreaches are hosted a few times a week. Also, the society is organising a Shoebox event, and hopes to hold an online social this term over Microsoft Teams.
• Vegan Society – On the 5th, the Vegan Society will be hosting a social event in partnership with Amnesty International Society. They also have other events lined up for the rest of term which would be great to get involved with if you want to socialise!
• Religious Studies Society – To help you socialise during lockdown, the Religious Studies Society is holding socials on Wednesdays, with an upcoming crafting event for members.
• Books2Africa – In the next few weeks, this society will be hosting some online events for their volunteers to socialise. Their members are still able to volunteer in the warehouse, however at reduced numbers. They are looking for more volunteers, so if you’re interested in expanding your volunteering experience and meeting new people, this could be the perfect society for you!

Educational Events

Many academic groups are still working hard throughout lockdown to ensure students have lots of extra opportunities to advance their education and career prospects. There are plenty of interesting online events running which are great not only to keep you occupied, but also to enhance your CV!

• Kent Law Temple Society – Holding regular events with guest speakers, focusing on different aspects of a career at the bar. Their first session of the term takes place on the 4th of February at 6pm. They are also launching an advocacy skills course and competition!
• Kent Invest – Ever wanted to learn more about investing and financial services? Kent Invest is holding weekly sessions to teach members about financial markets. On the 2nd of March, they have an event running with guest speaker Jim Leaviss, “Britain’s best-known bond investor”.
• Kent Critical Law Society – Events are open to all students at Kent, not just society members! Upcoming events include an exclusive M&A masterclass with BCLP on the 10th February, and a Critical Law Conference on ‘Rhythms of Law’ on the 13th March.
• Kent Art Law Society – Alongside the Afro-Diasporic Legal Network, this society will be holding a Digital Art Exhibition, as well as a ‘Lockdown Art Competition’ with the Therapeutic Art Society.
• Economics – Every Tuesday from 6-7, the Economics Society is holding events! They have a careers event coming up soon which will help students with making the most out of University and building portfolios. They also run debates and games nights which are great for socialising in lockdown!
• Kent P.O.C.A.S (People Of Colour Arts Society) – This society is continuing to run workshops and events online catered towards building your skills. Some notable events include their weekly Creative Writing & Poetry session, and a meeting on the 9th of February to discuss Queer Representation in TV & Film.
• Physics (PhySoc) – PhySoc are holding a big online panel on Quantum Physics on the 9th of February, and have more talks to follow. Also, they will be hosting some chilled out socials soon!

Check out the Kent Union website for more ways to get involved. It’s not too late to sign up!

The Careers and Employability Service at the University of Kent has again been shortlisted for ‘Best University Careers Service’ in the upcoming National Undergraduate Employability Awards.  The awards celebrate excellence in undergraduate employability, and are judged by a mix of graduate recruiters and professional bodies, who are looking for excellence in delivery as well as innovation and proactive industry engagement.  The Careers and Employability Service last won this award in 2017, and has continued to develop and grow.  Last year, they supported thousands of students, delivering 6,342 appointments, with 8,000 students attending events.

‘We are very proud of what we have been able to achieve in recent years, changing the way we work to better meet student need.  We have increased student engagement by 80% over 3 years, and hope to continue building on this success. Students and graduates are entering a challenging labour market, with graduate jobs running at about 70% of 2019 levels.  This means that Kent students and graduates need to be prepared to compete harder for roles, which is where effective career planning, application writing, and interview preparation are key’.

James Corbin, Head of Careers and Employability

If you would like to speak to someone in the Careers and Employability Service, you can book an appointment or search through our upcoming events on the careers webpage. Last term, 100% of students rated their careers appointments as good or very good, and 100% said they would recommend us to their friends.

Here are some Study Plus events coming up this week. Courses are free to students registered on an existing Kent programme of study.

Mentoring by Kasia Senyszyn 10am – 11am Monday 8th February

Being a mentor helps you to develop leadership, communication, and organisational skills, as well as giving you the opportunity to advise others and share your expertise. This session will explore what it takes to be a mentor and how to improve your skills and experience. You will also learn how to support different people and develop your communication skills.

Understanding unconscious bias at work by Sal Pearman 2pm – 4.30pm Monday 8th February

In the session we will look at:

• What is unconscious bias?
• Understanding unconscious bias: the key principles and concepts
• Micro behaviours: assumptions, affirmations and aggressions
• Practical steps to mitigate against unconscious bias

Personal Presence and Impact by Ali Whelan 11am – 12pm Wednesday 10th February

To introduce the concept of positive personal presence and impact and how it can benefit career development. Students will come away;

• Understanding what we mean by personal presence and impact
• Knowing how to create a positive presence
• Understanding the role of authenticity for positive impact
• Recognising how personal presence and impact affects leadership potential

How to think like a Recruiter by Annie Gainsborough 1pm – 3pm Thursday 11th February

You can expect a complete breakdown of popular recruitment processes and how to succeed in them. Across the two hours, we combine our top tips of the trade with short activities. These include analysing job descriptions, playing the recruitment ‘game’, and improving how to articulate your top skills during an interview process.

Project management by Anne Marie Baker 10am -11.30am Friday 12th February

Projects are happening all around us and in the workplace, it is likely that you will find yourself either involved in a project or managing one. The aim of this course is to share some tools and approaches that will help you set-up and deliver your project successfully. Delivered online by an experienced project manager you will hear about real-life projects and what to do when things don’t quite go to plan. There will be opportunities to input into the course but this will be entirely optional.

Working in a Team By Kate Gardner 1.30pm – 3pm Friday 12th February

By the end of the session you will have:

• Identified the characteristics of a great team
• Explored the stages in team formation
• Examined the roles people play in teams
• Looked at things to do to encourage team performance