One of the things that worried me the most before moving to another country on my own was what would I do in my free time. After arriving, I was definitely, and still am, surprised by how many activities Queen's has each week that go way beyond academia. The best you can do is take a look to the What’s on at Queen’s website and book your favorites.

From workshops to improve your skills, to art classes with renowned artists or movie nights, there’s always something to do on campus to take a break from your studies. Today I’m going to share some of the ones that I enjoyed the most in my first two months at Queen's!

Painting a canvas with Aly Harte

We got together on a Wednesday at One Elmwood for a painting workshop with Aly Harte, an amazing artist from Belfast. It was the perfect opportunity to connect with our creativity and enjoy a pizza while creating our own work of art!

^{Get creative with an art class}

Mountaineering Club

Did you know that Queen's has over 200 clubs and societies that you can join? Well I didn't. But I knew, even before being here, that I wanted to climb the rock-climbing wall at Queen's Sport. Joining the Mountaineering Club is the way to go.

The club meets twice a week and they even organise trips to practice in real places, so you can also experience Northern Ireland while practicing a new sport. And the best part is that you don’t need to have any experience, they teach you all you need to know!

^{Reach new heights with the mountaineering club}

Día de los Muertos celebration

Queen’s has events for international students all the time! In this event we got together with other students from Latin America to paint skulls for the Día de los Muertos. It was an excellent way to feel a little closer to home and even better if you can also take a souvenir to decorate your room.

Grow your own herbs

One of the main reasons why I chose Queen's Accommodation, and BT1 in particular, was the many activities they organized for the students who lived there. Every night, our Residential Assistants host a different activity in the common room. This one takes place every two weeks and they provide us with everything we need to grow our own herbs. Mine are already grown, as you can see, so I'll be able to try them on a pizza or pasta in no time!

^{Get green-fingered and grow your own herbs}

Yoga classes

During the pandemic I started practicing yoga almost daily and then stopped for many reasons. As part of the mental health campaign at Queen's, Mind Your Mood is organising some activities, including yoga classes across the campus.

Whether at the PEC or the Graduate School, yoga and meditation are great for slowing your mind and focusing on the present moment. I definitely missed this activity and it came back to me at just the right time!

^{De-stress with some yoga}

Find out more

Queen's Accommodation

Look after yourself: Mind your Mood

Life in Belfast

Camila Montero English | Postgraduate Student | Uruguay My name is Camila and I’m from Uruguay (South America). I graduated as an English- Spanish Translator and moved to Belfast to do a Master’s Degree in English (Literary Studies). I live in Elms BT1 and plan to see as many new places as I can while I’m here, so in my spare time I always sign up for the accommodation activities and trips. I am also passionate about yoga, literature and art so you can always count on me to go to a museum or take a yoga class in the Botanic Gardens.