The host of Study Environment Day will kick things off by giving you an overview of everything ahead. Throughout the day, you can meet both AAU staff and external partners who are ready to introduce you to new, fun, and perhaps surprising ways to take brain breaks.

From creative workshops and social activities to physical movement and mental calm, you’ll get an introduction to all the options available—so you can choose exactly the breaks that give you the most energy and inspiration in your student life.

Language
English

Host
Marie Møller Jensen, member of the Study Environment Council

Do you need a break from your studies — and feel like discovering new communities in your free time? 
Aalborg TryOut gives you the chance to try more than 100 free activities from September to December — so drop by to meet them and hear about their many leisure activities and communities for young people and students, regardless of experience, level, or ambition. 
 
On the day, you can also meet two of their partners: Roundnet Aalborg, where you can learn about and try the social and energetic sport many know as Spikeball, and Aalborg Ungegruppe from De Grønne Pigespejdere, who invite you to outdoor community activities and cozy bread baking over the fire. 
Stop by for an informal chat and get inspired — you might just find your next breathing space in this activity. 
 
Language 
Danish and English 
 
Facilitators 
Aalborg Try Out 
Roundnet Aalborg 
Aalborg Ungegruppe hos De Grønne Pigespejdere 

Working creatively with your hands offers a calming break from your studies and invites you to slow down and immerse yourself in the process. In this activity, you can learn how to create paper flowers from crepe paper and design your own unique creations. The crepe paper is easy to shape, and you can add details with watercolour paint to make lifelike flowers in a wide range of colours. The flowers can be used as decorations, bouquets or small gifts. 
 
Language 
English and Danish 
 
Instructor 
Carla Marie Ovesen 

Give discarded books new life in a creative and relaxing break. Aalborg University Library has collected books that would otherwise have been thrown away, and in this activity you can transform them into beautiful decorations, small artworks, or something else entirely. 
 
As in the library itself, everyone is welcome, and the library staff are ready to help and inspire you if you need it. It’s all about having a good time, being creative, and enjoying a break with books in a different way. 
 
Language 
Danish and English 
 
Instructor 
Aalborg University Library, Team Hospitality by 
Ina Fjordvald Christensen and Tina Raunsmed 

You probably know games like Ludo and Monopoly… but how about a round of Decrypto, where you secretly try to communicate with your teammate without the rest of the table catching on? Or a game of Heat, where you race full speed down a tight track, hoping not to spin out? 
 
Spilhylden’s board game café aims to introduce you and your fellow students to new, exciting, and entertaining board games you may not have tried before. We have a large and varied selection, whether you’re in the mood for a quick 15-minute party game or want to fully immerse yourself in a game for an hour and a half. Instead of spending lots of time reading rulebooks, we’ll get you started quickly by explaining everything you need to know. 
 
Language 
Danish and English 
 
Facilitator 
Tobias Risom from Spilhylden at Studenterhuset Aalborg. 

Activities with yarn create a natural sense of slowing down, letting you feel your pace drop and giving your brain a much‑needed break from your studies. In the yarn corner, you can either bring your own knitting or crochet project or dive in and learn it completely from scratch. 
Here, it’s not about finishing — it’s about being present. 
 
The atmosphere is relaxed, and you can share tips, get help, learn new techniques, or simply work quietly at your own pace together with others who are also looking for a cozy and informal community. 
 
Language 
Danish and English 
 
Facilitator 
Marie Møller Jensen, member of the Study Environment Council and head of the study board for Danish, English, Cultural Studies and Applied Philosophy 

What does a good pause area actually look like? And what does it take for a campus to provide room for calm, reflection, and mental breaks in everyday student life? In this activity, Campus Service invites you to explore the physical break spaces on campus and share your perspectives on what makes a good study environment. 
 
During the activity, you’ll be presented with examples of break areas from AAU in Aalborg, Esbjerg, and Copenhagen. You’ll also have the opportunity to try selected furniture and give feedback on how the physical campus environment can support student well‑being, focus, and quality breaks in daily life. 
 
Language 
Danish and English 
 
Facilitators 
Campus Service by 
Architect Henriette Blegvad 
Student Assistant Pauline Nørgaard Vinther 

Take a timeout from the day’s impressions and let your brain work at a slower pace. In this activity, you can dive into puzzles and other brainteasers that invite immersion in a relaxed and playful way. Here, you get the chance to shift your focus, let mental clutter settle, and enjoy the quiet satisfaction that appears when a piece fits or when a logical challenge suddenly makes sense. 
This activity is ideal both for those who enjoy sitting quietly and tinkering on their own, and for those who prefer solving small tasks together with other students. 
 
Language 
Danish and English 
 
Facilitator 
There is no facilitation for this activity; the games are simply available for you and your fellow students to use freely. 

About the activity 
Give yourself a moment of calm with a creative break where you can colour mandala drawings at your own pace. Colouring is a simple and mindful activity that helps you find focus, slow down and give your mind a much needed timeout from your studies. The mandalas invite immersion and presence – all you need to do is sit down, pick a design and colours, and let your thoughts settle as the patterns unfold. 
 
Language 
English and Danish 
 
Facilitator 
This activity is not facilitated, and the drawings are freely available for you and your fellow students to use. 

Have you ever thought about how music affects you? — Not just what you enjoy listening to, but how music can influence your nervous system? 
In this workshop, two music therapy students give a short introduction to how music affects the brain and inspire you to create your own targeted pause‑playlists for listening breaks in an active study life. Along the way, they share experiences, theory, and music examples that can help inspire your own musical timeout. 
 
It’s a good idea to bring headphones and access to a music streaming service so you can start creating your personal pause‑playlist right away. 
 
Language  
13.30: Danish 
14.15: English 
 
Presenters 
Ronja Nymann Eriksen and Tobias Rørmand Jakobsen, Music Therapy students at AAU 

Take a creative break from your studies and try your hand at game design. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll get an introduction to how you can quickly go from an idea to a playable prototype in the Godot Game Engine. You’ll have the opportunity to create a simple video game yourself in an active and engaging timeout, where the focus shifts from curriculum to play and creativity. 
 
The workshop is beginner-friendly, and you don’t need any experience with game development or programming. However, it’s important that you bring your own computer to the workshop. 
 
Please note that the workshop is held in two parts. In part 1, you’ll receive instruction on how to make the game, while in part 2, you’ll have the opportunity to continue working on your own game with help from the instructor. 
 
Language 
13:30: English (part 1: instruction in game development) 
14:15: English (part 2: continue working on your own game) 
15:00: English (part 1: instruction in game development) 
15:45: English (part 2: continue working on your own game) 
 
Instructor 
Fabian Demeter, Admin for Create Jam 

This yoga workshop not only gives you a break from your studies, but also an opportunity to recharge and improve your mental and physical health. So come and join our yoga class where we explore strength, flexibility and mindfulness together. Whether you're a beginner or more experienced, our skilled instructor will guide you and help you find your inner peace. 
 
There is room for 20 participants per workshop. 
 
Language 
13.30: Danish/English 
15.00: Danish/English 

Instructor 
Johanne Hausgaard, instructor at UniFitness 

Join this workshop if you want to take a break with cooking to nourish both your body and mind. In the workshop, you'll learn how the five basic tastes form a universal base for how we perceive flavor in food. You will also get tastings and the opportunity to see how four basic ingredients can be used to make flatbread — perfect for food on the go, for your lunchbox, or as a small snack. 
There is room for approximately 15 participants per workshop. 
 
Language 
The language of the workshop will be adapted to the participants who attend. 
 
13.30: Danish/English  
13.45: Danish/English 
14.15: Danish/English 
14.30: Danish/English 
15.00: Danish/English 
15.15: Danish/English 
15.45: Danish/English  
16.00: Danish/English 
 
Instructors 
Jespers Torvekøkken v/ Mikkel de Vries, Sustainability and development consultant & Rene Holme, Site manager AAU and jester by God's grace 

Have you ever thought about how music affects you? — Not just what you enjoy listening to, but how music can influence your nervous system? 
In this workshop, two music therapy students give a short introduction to how music affects the brain and inspire you to create your own targeted pause‑playlists for listening breaks in an active study life. Along the way, they share experiences, theory, and music examples that can help inspire your own musical timeout. 
 
It’s a good idea to bring headphones and access to a music streaming service so you can start creating your personal pause‑playlist right away. 
 
Language  
13.30: Danish 
14.15: English 
 
Presenters 
Ronja Nymann Eriksen and Tobias Rørmand Jakobsen, Music Therapy students at AAU 

Take a much‑needed break and dive into how your nervous system responds to study pressure — and why small mental timeouts can make a big difference. 
You’ll get an accessible introduction to stress response and be guided through short exercises such as meditation and body scanning, which can create more calm, focus, and well‑being in your daily study life. Along the way, you’ll also be introduced to AAU’s Feel Good Universe, with practical tools you can easily use both on campus and at home. 
 
The session takes place in calm and atmospheric surroundings, and everyone can participate regardless of experience. 
 
Language 
14.15: Danish 
15.45: English 
 
Presenter 
Julie Bjerggaard Kristensen, Student- and Well-being counsellor at AAU 

Take a creative break from your studies and try your hand at game design. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll get an introduction to how you can quickly go from an idea to a playable prototype in the Godot Game Engine. You’ll have the opportunity to create a simple video game yourself in an active and engaging timeout, where the focus shifts from curriculum to play and creativity. 
 
The workshop is beginner-friendly, and you don’t need any experience with game development or programming. However, it’s important that you bring your own computer to the workshop. 
 
Please note that the workshop is held in two parts. In part 1, you’ll receive instruction on how to make the game, while in part 2, you’ll have the opportunity to continue working on your own game with help from the instructor. 
 
Language 
13:30: English (part 1: instruction in game development) 
14:15: English (part 2: continue working on your own game) 
15:00: English (part 1: instruction in game development) 
15:45: English (part 2: continue working on your own game) 
 
Instructor 
Fabian Demeter, Admin for Create Jam 

In this workshop, we combine physical activity with music and dance, which can help reduce stress and improve mood. Whether you're a beginner or more experienced, our skilled instructor will guide you. So come and join us for half an hour of dance fun that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. 
 
There is room for 20 participants per workshop. 
 
Language 
14.15: Danish/English 
15:45: Danish/English 
 
Instructor 
Natasha Vidbjørg, instructor at UniFitness 

Join this workshop if you want to take a break with cooking to nourish both your body and mind. In the workshop, you'll learn how the five basic tastes form a universal base for how we perceive flavor in food. You will also get tastings and the opportunity to see how four basic ingredients can be used to make flatbread — perfect for food on the go, for your lunchbox, or as a small snack. 
There is room for approximately 15 participants per workshop. 
 
Language 
The language of the workshop will be adapted to the participants who attend. 
 
13.30: Danish/English  
13.45: Danish/English 
14.15: Danish/English 
14.30: Danish/English 
15.00: Danish/English 
15.15: Danish/English 
15.45: Danish/English  
16.00: Danish/English 
 
Instructors 
Jespers Torvekøkken v/ Mikkel de Vries, Sustainability and development consultant & Rene Holme, Site manager AAU and jester by God's grace 

This yoga workshop not only gives you a break from your studies, but also an opportunity to recharge and improve your mental and physical health. So come and join our yoga class where we explore strength, flexibility and mindfulness together. Whether you're a beginner or more experienced, our skilled instructor will guide you and help you find your inner peace. 
 
There is room for 20 participants per workshop. 
 
Language 
13.30: Danish/English 
15.00: Danish/English 

Instructor 
Johanne Hausgaard, instructor at UniFitness 

Do you sometimes feel tired, unfocused, or stuck in a sleep cycle that just doesn’t work? 
In this session, you’ll receive a hands‑on and motivating introduction to how you can improve your sleep — and why sleep is actually one of the body’s own superpowers for both your physical and mental health, as well as for your studies. 
You’ll gain insight into the most common sleep challenges and learn how sleep affects stress, concentration, performance, and collaboration in your academic life. You’ll also get concrete and realistic tools to help you build a better sleep routine — plus the opportunity to create your own mini action plan, so you leave with sleep strategies you can start using right away.  
 
Language 
15.00: English 
15.45: Danish 
 
Presenter 
Martin Olesen, physiotherapist and certified sleep coach, Center for Sundhedsfremme, Aalborg kommune 

Take a creative break from your studies and try your hand at game design. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll get an introduction to how you can quickly go from an idea to a playable prototype in the Godot Game Engine. You’ll have the opportunity to create a simple video game yourself in an active and engaging timeout, where the focus shifts from curriculum to play and creativity. 
 
The workshop is beginner-friendly, and you don’t need any experience with game development or programming. However, it’s important that you bring your own computer to the workshop. 
 
Please note that the workshop is held in two parts. In part 1, you’ll receive instruction on how to make the game, while in part 2, you’ll have the opportunity to continue working on your own game with help from the instructor. 
 
Language 
13:30: English (part 1: instruction in game development) 
14:15: English (part 2: continue working on your own game) 
15:00: English (part 1: instruction in game development) 
15:45: English (part 2: continue working on your own game) 
 
Instructor 
Fabian Demeter, Admin for Create Jam 

Join this workshop if you want to take a break with cooking to nourish both your body and mind. In the workshop, you'll learn how the five basic tastes form a universal base for how we perceive flavor in food. You will also get tastings and the opportunity to see how four basic ingredients can be used to make flatbread — perfect for food on the go, for your lunchbox, or as a small snack. 
There is room for approximately 15 participants per workshop. 
 
Language 
The language of the workshop will be adapted to the participants who attend. 
 
13.30: Danish/English  
13.45: Danish/English 
14.15: Danish/English 
14.30: Danish/English 
15.00: Danish/English 
15.15: Danish/English 
15.45: Danish/English  
16.00: Danish/English 
 
Instructors 
Jespers Torvekøkken v/ Mikkel de Vries, Sustainability and development consultant & Rene Holme, Site manager AAU and jester by God's grace 

Do you sometimes feel tired, unfocused, or stuck in a sleep cycle that just doesn’t work? 
In this session, you’ll receive a hands‑on and motivating introduction to how you can improve your sleep — and why sleep is actually one of the body’s own superpowers for both your physical and mental health, as well as for your studies. 
You’ll gain insight into the most common sleep challenges and learn how sleep affects stress, concentration, performance, and collaboration in your academic life. You’ll also get concrete and realistic tools to help you build a better sleep routine — plus the opportunity to create your own mini action plan, so you leave with sleep strategies you can start using right away.  
 
Language 
15.00: English 
15.45: Danish 
 
Presenter 
Martin Olesen, physiotherapist and certified sleep coach, Center for Sundhedsfremme, Aalborg kommune 

Take a much‑needed break and dive into how your nervous system responds to study pressure — and why small mental timeouts can make a big difference. 
You’ll get an accessible introduction to stress response and be guided through short exercises such as meditation and body scanning, which can create more calm, focus, and well‑being in your daily study life. Along the way, you’ll also be introduced to AAU’s Feel Good Universe, with practical tools you can easily use both on campus and at home. 
 
The session takes place in calm and atmospheric surroundings, and everyone can participate regardless of experience. 
 
Language 
14.15: Danish 
15.45: English 
 
Presenter 
Julie Bjerggaard Kristensen, Student- and Well-being counsellor at AAU 

In this workshop, we combine physical activity with music and dance, which can help reduce stress and improve mood. Whether you're a beginner or more experienced, our skilled instructor will guide you. So come and join us for half an hour of dance fun that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. 
 
There is room for 20 participants per workshop. 
 
Language 
14.15: Danish/English 
15:45: Danish/English 
 
Instructor 
Natasha Vidbjørg, instructor at UniFitness 

Take a creative break from your studies and try your hand at game design. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll get an introduction to how you can quickly go from an idea to a playable prototype in the Godot Game Engine. You’ll have the opportunity to create a simple video game yourself in an active and engaging timeout, where the focus shifts from curriculum to play and creativity. 
 
The workshop is beginner-friendly, and you don’t need any experience with game development or programming. However, it’s important that you bring your own computer to the workshop. 
 
Please note that the workshop is held in two parts. In part 1, you’ll receive instruction on how to make the game, while in part 2, you’ll have the opportunity to continue working on your own game with help from the instructor. 
 
Language 
13:30: English (part 1: instruction in game development) 
14:15: English (part 2: continue working on your own game) 
15:00: English (part 1: instruction in game development) 
15:45: English (part 2: continue working on your own game) 
 
Instructor 
Fabian Demeter, Admin for Create Jam 

Join this workshop if you want to take a break with cooking to nourish both your body and mind. In the workshop, you'll learn how the five basic tastes form a universal base for how we perceive flavor in food. You will also get tastings and the opportunity to see how four basic ingredients can be used to make flatbread — perfect for food on the go, for your lunchbox, or as a small snack. 
There is room for approximately 15 participants per workshop. 
 
Language 
The language of the workshop will be adapted to the participants who attend. 
 
13.30: Danish/English  
13.45: Danish/English 
14.15: Danish/English 
14.30: Danish/English 
15.00: Danish/English 
15.15: Danish/English 
15.45: Danish/English  
16.00: Danish/English 
 
Instructors 
Jespers Torvekøkken v/ Mikkel de Vries, Sustainability and development consultant & Rene Holme, Site manager AAU and jester by God's grace