Kirsty Clarke / en Students connect and build community at hybrid Night Against Procrastination event /news/students-connect-and-build-community-hybrid-night-against-procrastination-event <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Students connect and build community at hybrid Night Against Procrastination event</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/NAP-3.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=4GOgtiDK 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/NAP-3.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=zRFcRKTU 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/NAP-3.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=fzoLbi6s 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/NAP-3.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=4GOgtiDK" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-05-04T11:55:33-04:00" title="Wednesday, May 4, 2022 - 11:55" class="datetime">Wed, 05/04/2022 - 11:55</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">The study-focused Night Against Procrastination event, hosted by U of T's Academic Success, merged in-person and virtual elements, providing a proof-of-concept for similar events in the future (photo by Jonathan Vandor)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/kirsty-clarke" hreflang="en">Kirsty Clarke</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/robarts-library" hreflang="en">Robarts Library</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/academics" hreflang="en">Academics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-students" hreflang="en">Graduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/student-life" hreflang="en">Student Life</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-students" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Students</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>In the run-up to spring exams, University of Toronto students participated in the second annual&nbsp;“<a href="https://clnx.utoronto.ca/home/slevents.htm?eventId=41195&amp;action=displayGlobalEventDetails">Night Against Procrastination</a>” – only this time the study-focused event hosted by Academic Success paired virtual and in-person content to better connect with&nbsp;students.</p> <p>Held at the end of March, the evening’s events included skills-oriented workshops that focused on motivation, managing time&nbsp;and – yes&nbsp;– procrastination. There was also a&nbsp;workshop that drew on the Anishinabek medicine wheel as a teaching tool to help students work through their learning process.</p> <p>Virtual study hubs – where&nbsp;peer mentors helped students set study goals for the following two hours&nbsp;–&nbsp;were scheduled throughout the evening. Refreshments were available at Robarts Library, as well as puzzles and games.</p> <p>“The end of March is a really hectic time for students,” said&nbsp;organizer <strong>Jonathan Vandor</strong>, learning strategist, peer programs. “This event showed that, although οis a vast and complex space, there are still opportunities to connect and find community.”</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/NAP-notes-2-crop.jpg" alt></p> <p class="x"><em>At the Night Against Procrastination, students were asked to share messages to inspire and encourage others (photo by Deepam Patel)</em></p> <p>Staff at οLibraries provided ongoing guidance on citations and research throughout the evening. That&nbsp;included a 12 a.m. session called Midnight Magic that saw librarians offer a&nbsp;hands-on overview of the search process. There were also snacks and giveaways on site.</p> <p>Vandor said&nbsp;the “casual mentorship” of volunteers was among the evening’s highlights. For example, work-study students who served as peer mentors&nbsp;engaged with students while handing out snacks and beverages.&nbsp;</p> <p>“Juggling multiple exams&nbsp;and managing energy levels and projects at the end of the year is really challenging,” explained Vandor. “This helped students connect to their goals, build their own skills and motivation&nbsp;and reconnect with others in person – there was a real appetite for that.”</p> <p>The event’s&nbsp;success provided a proof of concept&nbsp;for future hybrid efforts that similarly envision&nbsp;bringing together virtual&nbsp;features such as study hubs and workshops with in-person gatherings&nbsp;that take place in a common meeting place such as Robarts.</p> <p>Academic Success plans to run the program again in November, and is currently planning other ways to use hybrid formats&nbsp;to engage students.</p> <div class="media_embed" height="422px" width="750px"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="422px" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9vvgcyZrUyM" title="YouTube video player" width="750px"></iframe></div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 04 May 2022 15:55:33 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 174461 at