Monday 10-01-2022 - 13:50

 

New Years Resolutions, however you interpret them, are something we all find ourselves thinking about in time for January. Whether it’s cutting down on previous habits, taking up something new or continuing something you’ve enjoyed the previous year – January feels like a new beginning to start making it happen.

Maybe you’re still figuring out what new or existing elements you want to explore this year – and that’s okay too. New Year Resolutions shouldn’t be about strict rules, more so themes and ideas on what you can aim for going forward. With this in mind – here are some ways The Union can help:

 

Fitness

 

If you have goals to improve your fitness, or to find fun ways to exercise, then maybe consider joining one of our numerous sport teams. The gym isn’t for everyone and sometimes it can be harder trying something new alone.

Refreshers Fair is the perfect place to find a new activity that you’ll enjoy. There will be lots of others starting for the first time and our clubs welcome people at any level – even complete beginners. With a wide variety of sport clubs available from tennis to water polo – there’s something for everyone.

 

 

New Hobby

 

Sticking with the theme of Refreshers – this term could be the perfect time to start a new hobby. If you have an interest in playing music or singing, we have our Choir and Orchestra society. For those of you who watched The Queen’s Gambit last year and fancied giving it a go yourself – we have The Chess Club. Students with a creative flare may be interested in joining The Poetry Society or an on campus theatre group. If you want to try something completely new we also have our Pole Dancing group.

 

 

 

Meet New People

 

Meeting new people can be daunting but it’s unsurprising after many months in a pandemic that lots of us are craving more human interaction, as well as the chance to have new experiences with others. Sometimes this can be easier if you know that you have things in common – here are some common interest groups you may be interested in:

• Film Society: Meet others who enjoy watching and discussing different films
• International group: A group where you can meet international students from around the world here at MMU and attend events together
• True Crime Society: For all of you with a fascination for the true crime world, you’re not alone! Meet with others to discuss the cases that interest you the most.
• LGBT+ Society: MMU’s LGBT+ Society run a variety of events ranging from political activism to visits to Canal Street
• MMU Book Club: A chance to meet other bookworms

 

Dry Jan or Veganuary

 

Whatever your reasons are for wanting to be sober or meat free this January, you can continue to do so at The Union. In our Food Hall we have a vegan range on our menu including loaded fries, numerous vegan burgers, pizza and various side dishes like meat free nuggets and veggie spring rolls.

Our café is home to Starbucks where you can buy a variety of coffees, teas, Frappuccino’s and other soft drinks. In addition, you can make Dry Jan more interesting with our Mocktails in the Food Hall at only £3.50 each.

 

Improve my finances

 

Money management and being a student can be really stressful, so lots of students aim to start the new year with greater organisation and hopes of making their money going further. As an MMU student you can make appointments with our Advisors to discuss debt and budgeting, as well as support with finances and funding.

Our website also provides a budgeting booklet that you can fill out at home to help manage your funds to let you carry on having fun experiences this term.

If you’re interested in a student job as well alongside your studies we have many student positions here at The Union. Keep an eye on our student recruitment page, especially over the summer.

 

Being more environmentally friendly

 

This resolution has been on many people’s minds since COP-26 and is something that we should all look at incorporating into our daily routines in 2022. Our previous article explaining COP-26 has examples on how you can be more environmentally friendly on campus.

If you want to take this resolution a step further then you can get involved with our Student Led Projects team and send them an email (makechange@mmu.ac.uk) with any ideas you have about sustainability and what we could do here at The Union.

At The Union you can also by Fairtrade and sustainable products at The Café and The Shop, as well as recycling your crisp and popcorn packets in our building.

 

Volunteering:

 

It’s always nice to think of ways you can use your time to help others – the new year is a perfect time to do this. We have so many volunteering opportunities at The Union where we work with local charities. Whether it’s helping children get a hot meal, supporting people suffering from homelessness or volunteering in schools to help educate children on less traditional subjects – there’s many things you can get involved in. All current opportunities are listed on our volunteering portal or you can have a chat with the team.