SWOTVAC Week
Source: https://life.uq.edu.au/swotvac/2023/semester1 Parent: https://life.uq.edu.au/online/past-events
Semester 2
Take a break, refocus and power up for exams. During SWOTVAC you can enjoy puppy cuddles, free snacks, creative chill-out zones and study support to help you feel your best and do your best.
Preparing for exams in quantitative courses
Monday 27 October\ 3 - 4pm\ Online \ \ Join this workshop to learn some strategies which will help you optimise your performance on quantitative questions in courses such as mathematics, statistics, physics, engineering and other STEMM courses.
Herston Reset: Aussie Encounters End of Semester Celebration
Tuesday 28 October \ 11:30am – 1:30pm\ Outside Café Dose\ \ Celebrate the end of Semester 2 with a true Aussie experience at Herston Reset: Aussie Encounters! This relaxed and vibrant event brings together students from across the Herston Campus for an afternoon of connection, culture, and celebration.\ Get up close with some of Australia’s most iconic animals thanks to D’Aguilar Wildlife, enjoy a classic Aussie-style sausage sizzle, and take part in the Herston Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win prizes.
UQ Sport: Free Badminton and Basketball
Tuesday 28 October\ 10am-2pm \ UQ Centre \ \ Take a break from the books and get moving during SWOTVAC! UQ Sport are opening up the UQ Centre for FREE Badminton and Basketball. No bookings, no cost just a fun way to refresh your mind between study sessions.
Mind & Body Reset with Your Herston Library
Tuesday 28 October\ 11:30am–1:30pm\ Outside Café Dose\ \ Take a mindful pause — join a fun scavenger hunt, explore light interactive AR activities, and enjoy prizes and treats with the Library team near Café Dose.
Pamper, Paws and Play Dutton Park
Wednesday 29 October\ 11.30am - 1.30pm\ Inner sPACE\ \ Need a break from Week 13? Unwind with puppies, 5 minute massages, free snacks, games and crafts all at one event! Join us for a relaxing event combining connection and self-care.
Pamper, Paws and Play: A Dutton Park Library Wellbeing Pop-up
Wednesday 29 Oct \ 11:30am–1:30pm \ Inner sPace, Level 4\ \ Unwind with calming crafts, self-care resources, and a relaxing break between your day’s activities.
SWOTVAC at Gatton
Wednesday 29 October\ 11am-1pm\ The Undercroft\ \ Destress and prioritise your mental health with free art and crafts activities. Grab your friends and make an afternoon out of hanging out or enjoy an opportunity to meet new people in a chill environment.
Bling & Bloom: Jewellery-Making Workshop @ Gatton Library
Thursday 30 October\ 11:30am–2pm \ Gatton Library Auditorium\ \ Get creative and mindful — make your own beaded jewellery while relaxing and connecting with friends in a calm, creative space.
UQ Sport: Free Badminton and Basketball
Thursday 30 October\ 10am-2pm \ UQ Centre \ \ Take a break from the books and get moving during SWOTVAC! UQ Sport are opening up the UQ Centre for FREE Badminton and Basketball. No bookings, no cost just a fun way to refresh your mind between study sessions.
Managing Exam Stress Online Workshop
Friday 31 October\ 1- 2pm \ Online\ \ Join this workshop to look at different ways of understanding and managing the stress associated with exam revision and taking exams.
Under the Jacarandas: Brain Breaks Chill-out Zone at the Library
Daily, Monday 3 – Wednesday 5 November\ 12–5pm\ Level 2, Central Library foyer near the entrance\ \ Take a mindful pause between study sessions — Jenga, Connect Four, colouring and origami, play and recharge under the purple blooms.\
5 Minute Massages at Student Central
Monday 3 November\ 11am-2pm\ Student Central\ \ Destress and relax with free 5 Minute Massages. No need to book, just swing by Student Central from 11 am to 2pm and let the study stress melt away!
Bloom & Brew: Mini Brain Breaks @ Your Library
Monday 3 – Friday 7 November\ During AskUs opening hours\ Gatton, Herston and Dutton Park Libraries\ \ Pop by your campus library during AskUs opening hours for tea, coffee, Mentos, and mini Brain Break activities — including colouring and origami.
Studying effectively in Swotvac
Monday 3 November\ 10 - 10.30am\ Online, via Zoom\ \ Learn practical and best-practice strategies for learning and studying. This online session covers how to avoid cramming, stay motivated and overcome procrastination during SWOTVAC.\ \
The Brewcaranda Bar @ The Library Kitchen
Monday 3 – Friday 7 November\ All day \ St Lucia Library \ \ Enjoy tea, coffee, and minty treats — brewed for bloom season.
SWOTVAC with APS: Affirmation Crafternoon + Bubble Tea
Tuesday 4 November\ 1:30- 3:30pm\ St Lucia\ \ Take a mindful break this SWOTVAC and spread some positivity at our Affirmation Day Crafternoon — a relaxing space where you can create heartfelt notes for the people who matter most. Whether it’s a thank-you for a friend, words of encouragement for a classmate, or a reminder to yourself — this is your moment to pause, reflect, and share the love.
SWOTVAC with APS: Postgrad Picnic
Tuesday 4 November,\ 12 - 2pm\ Grassy Knoll, St Lucia \ \ Take a break from the books and join us for a relaxing Postgrad Picnic during SWOTVAC Week! Enjoy free food and drinks, get creative with pot painting, and take part in a range of wellbeing activities designed to help you de-stress and find balance.
SWOTVAC with APS: Budget Bites Workshop
Tuesday 4 November\ 10 - 11:30am\ Grassy Knoll, St Lucia\ \ Want to eat well without breaking the bank? Join the you how easy (and delicious!) it can be to prepare affordable, student-friendly meals. \ From quick pasta dishes to other simple menus, you’ll learn practical tips for meal prep on a budget.\ \ Each attendee will also receive a goodie bag packed with the core ingredients you need to recreate the recipes at home—so you can start cooking straight away!
Puppy Cuddles St Lucia
5 November \ 11am - 1pm\ Student Central\ \ Come and drop by to sneak in a cuddle with our fluffy guests and give your SWOTVAC paw-some energy!\ This event is organised by UQ Life.
Under the Jacarandas: Paws for Break @ UQ Library
Thursday 6 November\ 12 - 2pm \ Level 2, Central Library foyer near the entrance \ \ Cuddle, smile, and de-stress with our favourite therapy animals beneath the Jacarandas.
Under the Jacarandas: Eat, Breathe, Stretch — Mindful Eating at the UQ Library
Friday 7 November\ 12 - 12.30pm\ Central Library Foyer (by L2 Entrance)\ \ A practical, sensory-based session (15 minutes) to enhance digestion, focus, and food enjoyment with a small tasting activity.
Under the Jacarandas: Eat, Breathe, Stretch — Chair Yoga at the UQ Library
Friday 7 November\ 12:45pm - 1:15pm \ Central Library, Main entrance Level 2\ \ \ Join UQ Wellbeing for brain break sessions with Dara from Chair Yogis. Whether you are feeling stiff from studying or anxious about upcoming assessments or exams, you will leave feeling more focused, grounded and equipped with new skills to practice at home, in the library or during exams.
Under the Jacarandas: Non-Sleep Deep Rest Session with the Library
Friday 7 November\ 1.30 – 2pm \ Central Library Foyer (by L2 Entrance)\ \ A guided deep rest experience designed to calm the nervous system and support mental recovery. It can partially offset the negative consequences of too little sleep.
Need some extra help with your studies?
Chat with our Academic Skills Advisers who can provide feedback on assignments and help you develop effective reading, writing, and time management strategies. And if you're feeling overwhelmed, come chat with our Accessibility and Welfare Advisers as they can provide you options for welfare, wellbeing, inclusion and disability support.
Peer Writing Project: Bring Your Draft
Drop in for assessment help! Bring your draft to a Student Writing Leader to help you improve the quality of your writing and address questions you might have.
Get help from Academic Skills Advisors
Chat with our Academic Skills Advisers who can provide feedback on assignments and help you develop effective reading, writing, and time management strategies.
Make an appointment with an Accessibility and Welfare Adviser
Our Accessibility and Welfare Team can help you develop plans for academic accommodations and can discuss accessibility or cultural requirements, illness, injury or mental health condition. Students with primary carer responsibilities may also be eligible for services.
Wellbeing Support
Exams and revision period can be stressful, but there are resources available to help you manage your wellbeing.
UQ Counselling provides a variety of services to support students, including 1-to-1 specialised counselling and UQ Counsellor Connect.
\ SImilarly, UQ Counselling's Wellbeing Programs offer students an effective stand-alone counselling alternative, or can be attended to complement and enhance individual counselling.
UQ Counselling's Wellbeing Programs
28 October, 1pm - 2:30 pm\ 06-216 Workshop B, St Lucia\ \ Mindfulness is an essential skill that research, experts, and world leaders have recognized as significant to promote health, resilience, and to enhance performance.\ Join a UQ Counsellors for a session of 10 to 20 minute guided mindfulness practices, followed by open questions and discussion to support the development of your confidence in your personal practice.
Wednesday 29 October , 1pm - 2pm\ 06-216 Workshop B. St Lucia\ \ Art-based therapy is applied to the Internal Family Systems protocol to explore your personality system and how it is coping with underlying emotional challenges.\ The process will support you to disentangle issues where you might feel stuck, frustrated, or unhappy in a way that’s creative, safe, and confidential. Expression through art can help you gain new perspectives and to grow more understanding about yourself.
Thursday 30 October, 11am - 1pm\ Physics Annexe (6), 06-216 Workshop B, St Lucia\ \ Art-based therapy uses a combination of art activities and verbal interaction to improve coping skills and promote well-being through the creative process. This group provides a safe and supportive space for students to express themselves through art.
Sharper Minds: Self-paced online modules
Online and available at any time. \ \ Sharper Minds is a package of free resources designed with UQ students for UQ students that show you how to increase your health and self-care behaviours so that you can achieve your best at university. These behaviours are in 6 domains: study, mood, physical activity, healthy eating, sleep, and social connection. Each domain of the package comes in two formats, all are free for all UQ students:
FInd out more about Sharper Minds here
Your voice matters: Course and teaching feedback
There's still time to complete your Semester 2 course teaching surveys before they close on 7 November.
Last semester we reached the highest response rate for the SECaTs the last decade– an incredible 40%! This record-breaking response means more students than ever have provided their feedback about what’s working well in their courses and where they believe improvements can be made. Student feedback has already helped shape changes across many different parts of the UQ experience, including teaching, assessment and course design. It's your turn to let your voice be heard– take a few minutes to complete the Semester 2 survey and help us improve your UQ experience. Watch this short message from UQ and the UQ Union and find out more about why your feedback matters.
SWOTVAC FAQs
How do I see my exam timetable?
You can view your exam timetable at this link - https://mgt.exams.uq.edu.au/timetable/personal.php#:~:text=To%20view%20your%20personal%20exam,different%20exam%20period%2C%20click%20here. Please note you will need to log in using your UQ student username and password.
I have lost my student ID; do I need it for my exam?
You must have your student ID card when attending your exams. If you do not have a student ID, you can request a new student ID card online through this link https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-details/id-cards-and-personal-details/replacing-student-id-card - you can then collect it at the following locations once it is ready:
- St Lucia – Student Central (Building 42), Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.
- Gatton – Student Centre, NW Briton Administration Building (8101A), Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm.
- Herston – Student Hub, Level 5, Oral Health Centre (Building 0883), Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm.
If it is the day of your exam and you do not have a student ID, you can call our Student Administration team on 1300 275 870 (option 1), who can provide a temporary ID card for the day that they can use for their exam.
How do I defer my exam?
You can submit a ‘deferred exam request’ through mySI-net: https://www.sinet.uq.edu.au/psp/ps/?cmd=login&languageCd=ENG&. Be sure to read through this link to confirm the circumstances in which you can request a deferred exam - https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/deferring-exam?p=0#0
How can I get alternative exam arrangements?
You can apply for alternative exam arrangements if circumstances prevent you from taking your exam at the allocated time or you need certain adjustments made to be able to sit your exam. To request alternative arrangements, you will need to complete the online alternative exam arrangements form through my.UQ. Our student advisers can assist you in completing this application, you can book an appointment online through StudentHub - https://studenthub.uq.edu.au/students/login?ReturnUrl=%2fstudents%2fworkflows%2fdetail%2f279 or you can visit a student adviser during their drop in sessions.
Visit this link https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/alternative-exam-arrangements?p=0#0 to read about the different circumstances for why you may require alternative exam arrangements.
How do I prepare for an online exam?
View these helpful links from the UQ Library regarding online exams:
- Check your IT set up for online exams - Library - The University of Queensland
- Planning and submission time for online exams - Library - The University of Queensland