What’s on(line) in Lancaster: Week one

So, we’ve all reached the point of isolation. Netflix has been well and truly exhausted, all possible zoom backgrounds have been tried and tested, and having a shower has become the entertainment peak of the day. The Lancaster Tab is here to point you in the right direction – here are all the activities taking place online this week.

1. Pride month movie nights

What better way to celebrate pride than with a month of the best of LGBTQ+ cinema. The Lancaster University LGBTQ+ society have found a great way to assure that this year’s pride will still be as fabulous as ever!

Pride month “commemorates the Stonewall riots of 1969 and celebrate the achievements of the LGBTQ+ community.” More information is available on the Lancaster University LGBTQ+ society’s Facebook page.

If you want to join in and show solidarity with Lancaster’s LGBTQ+ community download Netflix party and clear every Monday for the next five weeks.

Image via Lancaster University LGBTQ +

2. Join in with a Furness College games afternoon

Furness College’s next games afternoon event will take place on Sketchful.io – a free alternative to Pictionary. We know you’ve been playing this with all your friends on houseparty so why not show off your new skills in a multiplayer event.

The games afternoon takes place on Tuesday 2nd June at four pm. More information is available on the Furness college Facebook page.

3. Student media awards 2020

This year’s student media awards will be taking place on Facebook. The awards up for grabs include; the Outstanding Contribution Award and Best Live Coverage.

There will also be a new category unique to this year’s awards – ‘Best lockdown content.’ Even if you have no interest in watching the awards, it is still possible to get involved in another way by making a nomination.

The event will be hosted by the Student’s Union, Bailrigg FM, LA1TV, the Take 2 Cinema and SCAN. It will take place at six pm on Wednesday the 10th of June.

Image via Lancaster University Students Union

4. Make friends in the new Animal Crossing society

Lancaster university has always been home to plenty of interesting and unusual societies. However, one that has birthed recently feels like it represents the best parts of quarantine perfectly.

Although not yet a fully fledged society, the Animal Crossing society had a goal to “connect likeminded students with a passion for the Animal Crossing franchise.” If you need a place to share tips, turnip prices and friend codes then this is your place to be.

The group had their first social on the 27th of May, so keep your eye out for the future if this seems like your thing.

Image via LU Animal Crossing Society

5. Find any excuse to bake

Fylde College have been positing recipes all over their Instagram page. These range from sweet treats such as chocolate marble cake and blondies to savoury snacks like cheese quiche.

If you needed anymore excuses to indulge in sugar then you case use baking as a way to raise money and awareness for charities. More specifically, Barnardo’s society has given students a way to get involved by posting a picture of their bake with the hashtag #bake4barnardos. Involve everyone you know by tagging four friends to complete the challenge and making a donation to the just giving page. 

Image via Fylde College Instagram

6. Widen your education surrounding black issues with free online lectures

Given the current political climate it is never bad thing to further educate yourself in order to better understand these issues. The 25 lectures in African-American History are delivered from Professor Jonathan Holloway and include topics such as Black Power, Sit-ins, Civil Rights and the Double V Campaign.

When will you get another chance to get access to free learning resources from a prestigious university such as Yale. Since lectures and deadlines are coming to an end for the academic year there are no excuses to make good use of your free time.

The lectures are available here.

7. A continuation of mental health awareness week

Over the course of mental health awareness week from the 18th-24th of May the SU invited students to share their mental health stories via anonymous Stories Portal. These stories have since been shared across Facebook and they can all be read using #MHAStories. The goal of sharing these stories was to normalise mental health narratives and inspire kindness which is often needed in this time.

8. If you can’t wait to get back in the pub

College pub quizzes are still continuing online throughout quarantine which is exciting for those of us already starting try and make our own with friends.

The County College quarantine quiz takes place on Fridays at eight pm. Last week the County College quiz turned 10 years old and the winner took home a £20 prize. Furness college’s Trev quiz is also continuing online. Teams of up to six can compete and the quiz is marked as it happens so the winner is announced just after the quiz ends.

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