The break can provide a wonderful opportunity for celebration and relaxation with those most important to us. However, this time of year can also be difficult for many, which is why we've pulled together this guide full of useful resources and organisations. I’m very proud of the way our #TeamMDX community looks after each other through challenging times, whether this be the increased cost of living or with the impacts of global conflicts. I hope you find these resources useful and I look forward to seeing you again in the New Year.
I'm thrilled to be serving you for a second year as SU President. Engaging with each of you, seeing positive transformations within our community, and actively contributing to changes we collectively strive for has been very fulfilling. We've had some dynamic conversations, inspiring initiatives, and shared commitment to making our campus an even better place. I'm looking forward to the continued collaboration, growth, and victories ahead. But for now, let’s all enjoy some holiday spirit! MDXSU is putting on events to help you enjoy the Winter holiday period – see you there!
Sagar Joshi, MDXSU President
It may feel particularly stressful this winter period financially for a lot of us in the community. Hear from Hunter and Ajay who tell us about support available from MDX to help you get through the cost of living crisis.
We've put together some financial support information to assist you during the break.
You can use the Too Good to Go app off campus, as many other outlets use this to sell discounted food options. Olio is a similar app you can use to find discounted food that would otherwise be thrown away.
This is also used in many countries and regions if you are travelling away for the winter break.
Middlesex has linked up with Housing Hand to provide a discounted Guarantor service for anyone who needs help getting a guarantor for private rented accommodation.
We've found hundreds of study/social spaces across London that you can access as an MDX student. This helps save time and money on travel costs for days when you don’t need to be on campus. Check out the Maps tile on MDXapp and click 'off campus'
Ensuring those who need it, have access to food.
Care professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers, CAB and police identify people in crisis and issue them with a foodbank voucher. Foodbanks partner with a wide range of care professionals who are best placed to assess need and make sure that it is genuine. If you need emergency food, want to make a food donation or are interested in volunteering, find your nearest Trussell Trust food bank using the Trussell Trust map.
The cost-of-living crisis is already affecting millions across the UK, with many reporting they will be unable to turn the heating on in the coming months. We believe everyone should have a warm and welcoming space to go to this winter, which is why our network of community organisations, churches, libraries, businesses and other faith groups across the UK have opened their doors to provide exactly that. Just enter your postcode to find your nearest space.
If you’re facing issues around accommodation, homelessness, or threatened eviction.
There is a wealth of advice on the Shelter website (with telephone advice lines), and not just about homelessness, but on how to deal with disputes with the landlord.
Every local authority also has a department that deals with disputes in the private sector, so you might want to contact them as well.
Are you staying in London over the break? If you’d like to plan a trip out with friends or family, check out deals and information online, and search for the best offers to celebrate the day.
Businesses may be closed, or open with reduced hours during the break – it is always good to plan ahead. Here are just some ideas to get you into the spirit of the holidays, as well as some online ideas for those more limited on time:
The Kingdom of Winter – Located in the ExCeL Centre with an ice rink, traditional fairground rides and an Instagrammable ‘Ice Expedition’ circus. It promises to be the city’s biggest indoor winter experience, open till 7 January 2024.
Christmas at Kew – Running until 7 January 2024, the popular after-dark Christmas event features a trail through the famous Kew Botanic Gardens, lit up with over one million lights.
Grosvenor Square glowing roses – Over 20,000 glowing roses light up Grosvenor Square this winter, as the Ever After Garden returns to Mayfair. It provides somewhere for Londoners to remember absent loved ones.
Southbank Centre Winter Market - Walk along the Thames under the twinkling lights and try some festive drinks, scrumptious street food and seasonal goodies from traditional alpine-style chalets. Available until 7 January 2024.
Winter wonderland- Located in Hyde Park and open until 1 January 2024, immerse yourself in all things festive in the heart of London. Enjoy the ultimate party this festive season. There are a wide variety of attractions, activities, entertainment areas, food, drinks stalls, and so much more for you to enjoy!
Free things to do in London – There are lots of free and fun things to do in London. Whilst most of these places are closed on Christmas and Boxing Day, most remain open across the festive season. Check out our handy announcement of places to visit for free in the capital!
If you're going home over the break, or if you are staying in London, we've compiled a few activity ideas and put together some great resources to keep you entertained over the break.
Online Jigsaws - We’ve turned some of our favourite festive pictures into jigsaw puzzles that you can complete online. You can also use the website to complete other jigsaw puzzles, and even create your own. Visit our selection of jigsaws online.
Enjoy cooking & baking? - Visit the BBC’s Festive Food Guide for great seasonal recipes. The Guardian have a handy guide on mastering Christmas in the kitchen if you’re cooking a large festive meal with some useful tips.
Secret Santa - This is a gift exchanging idea you and friends could arrange. The rules are A) Have at least 3 people. B) Each person writes their name on a separate piece of paper, fold it up and place it into a bowl. C) Everyone picks a piece of paper from the bowl. The name on your chosen piece of paper is the person you are buying a gift for – and remember, keep it a secret. Alternatively, use a website that generates a Secret Santa allocation.
Finally, decide on a date to exchange gifts.
Box of Broadcasts (BoB) – a service from Learning on Screen, enabling you to record and view TV and radio online, from over 75 free-to-air channels in the UK, and search an archive of over 2.2 million broadcasts. Select programmes up to 30 days after broadcast and request programmes to be recorded a week in advance. Take a look at a selection of festive classics, selected by our librarians. Log on to myUniHub, visit the BoB LibGuide page, click on ‘sign-in’ and search for Middlesex University’. Please note BoB content is only available within the UK.
Decorate your accommodation - just a simple tree would do, bright lights, or even fake snow on your windows. However, check if you can do so by the owner/landlord (or University if you live in the halls).
Wordsearches - while boosting your brain, problem-solving skills and your spelling, doing word searches helps further improve language learning and is a great way to learn words or phrases. We’ve compiled a list of wordsearches that you can complete during the holidays which you can find on the Christmas quiz and puzzles LibGuides.
Although holidays can be a time of rest and relaxation, you can also use this time to start thinking about the year ahead and your future goals. As an MDX student you have free access to LinkedIn Learning, an online database of over 13,000 videos and online courses. Please note and make sure that you are logged into myUniHub before you click on this link to get free access.
To find out more, including learning how to activate your account and make the most of LinkedIn Learning, please watch this short LinkedIn Learning MDX video. Watch LinkedIn Learning videos to learn new skills, update existing skills and grow your professional network. Here are some recommended videos which take less than 5 minutes a day to watch but can help you to plan and get ahead:
Short Videos
Courses
Your Students' Union has prepared two exciting events this Christmas – the MDXmas Market and the MDXmas Party!
Celebrate the end of term with 12 days of MDXMas.
6 December, 11am to 3pm
The Quad
Free entry!
7 December, 10pm to 2am
MDX House
£5 early bird price | £7 at location
Get a chance to win 2 tickets to our MDXmas Party when you take a selfie with our four Student Officers and share them with us on Instagram!
Whether you are staying local or heading home for the festive period it’s important that you continue to
prioritise your health and wellbeing.
Creating new habit and getting rid of bad ones is hard! Especially with the challenges that studies and life brings. So, why not make the process more fun and make yourself more likely to keep them, by joining our Wellness Hub ‘Community Habit Tracking Challenge’ to track habits in the new year with your peers.
Watch our past podcast on wellbeing over the winter break. In this episode, an MDX counsellor Simone is in conversations with past 2nd-year Business Management students Zuzana and Jay talking about all things looking after your wellbeing over the holiday period, including talking about some of the common struggles faced by many during that time.
Take in some of London’s most well-known sights which are currently lit up for the festive season. Below are some of our tips on the best sights for winter lights in London. Please check out the Winter Lights in London article by TimeOut which collates some of the most popular light displays in the capital.
The winter lights are available daily across the Southbank Centre site, with a series of free outdoor artworks from contemporary artists that play with light and colour, the work is accompanied by tracks from international electronic music artist and takes place from 4pm until 11pm.
This year Christmas lights will get a new dimension. While taking the Christmas installation to a new height, neon colours and various other lightening patterns will conquer walls and sky and illuminate the iconic shopping and dining destination.
Dazzled by the biggest ever light display. 30,000 LEDs will be setting the 18-metre Christmas tree aglow, and the Market Building will be adorned with brand new decorations in the form of giant bells and promises plenty of mulled wine and Christmas pop-ups.
This year, there will be a brand new sustainable Christmas lights display lighting up the streets of Marylebone Village for the festive season in support of mental health charity partner Mind in Brent Wandsworth and Westminster.
Now more than ever, make sure you’re focusing on yourself and your wellbeing. Our Winter Holiday UniHub webpages contain ideas and advice to keep you well through the winter break, and we are here to work with you in 2024 on your health and wellness goals. Each day brings a new challenge, so as with every New Year’s resolution, reflect on what really matters to you. What do you want next year to look like?
Check out MDX Sport & Recreation, where you can take part in a variety of sports and make many friends through events they run throughout the year, and MDXworks, for on-campus job and employment events. There are also work experience, internship, placement, and professional development activities with Unitemps to provide you with the skills to stand out in a competitive job environment.
Why not join a society? We have many societies here at MDXSU, all with unique interests, amazing events, and a diverse range of activities. At Middlesex, we have over 85 student groups that cover everything from hobbies and interests to religion and nationality.
MDXSU's Welcome Fair is a huge, free event open to all students taking place in January 2024. Come and find us in the Quad to
There are also lots of other great events to look forward to in the New Year, including the Student Success Festival, weekly Sports Events and the North London Literary Festival, as well as regular events organised by your Students' Union.
Want to improve your foreign language skills? Why not join the Language and Culture Exchange (LCExchange)? and start the new year by learning a new language.This scheme is designed to connect two people who speak different languages to learn from one another.
All activities are run by other students. There are many benefits of joining, including:
Part-time work can provide you with valuable experience and vital funds, while still giving you time to study. If you can gain experience relevant to your degree subject or preferred industry, this could really pay-off later when you’re looking for a graduate job. Check out our Part Time Work Guide on UniHub.
If you are looking for a seasonal role, check out the mdxworks.com website - we also recommend checking out the Brent Cross Shopping Centre website.
