Update

Hello everyone,

We hope you are all doing well and are safe wherever you are around the world. Women in Engineering Unimelb had big plans for in-person activities this semester, but unfortunately Melbourne was plunged into another long lockdown. This meant that we had to switch to online events instead, with one coming up next week!

We have a really interesting Data Visualisation Python Workshop on 8th of September at 5pm (check out our social media accounts for more details) and a Game Night with all our friends from IEEE VIC Section coming together to bring you this fun event. To finish off the year, we will introduce students to a Panel of Speakers from the University and Industry to talk about their career journey and experiences, providing us with some motivating insights. Like us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn to get the latest updates on our events.

We would like to give a big thank you to the IEEE Women in Engineering Committee for awarding us with the Honorable Mention in the 2021 WIE Student Branch Affinity Group of the Year Award. We appreciate the recognition and will continue to support and encourage young students, especially women, to pursue careers in the field of STEM through engaging events at the University of Melbourne.

Keep your spirits up, make good decisions and we hope you join us for our upcoming events!

Mental Wellbeing

By Simona Karevska

Many people are struggling with their mental health and experience distress and isolation due to the lockdowns. The impact of the lockdowns and restrictions is widespread with some feeling stressed and others lonely. As we find ourselves in these restrictions it is important to look after our wellbeing, reach out and help others in need.

Experts remind us that some of the best ways to protect ourselves is to practice self-compassion, eat healthy, exercise, talk to friends and family and seek professional help if needed. During traumatic events such as this, studies in resiliency encourage keeping a routine in our day. Unstructured time can create boredom and anxiety which can turn into unhealthy patterns. So by having a routine, we won’t feel exhausted and overwhelmed. Make a schedule such as waking up at a certain time, planning at-home exercises, attending lectures and workshops, going outside for some fresh air and soaking up the sunshine, maintaining social connections by having video calls and playing online games or watching a television show together on your own devices.

Importantly, we should acknowledge our emotions, let ourselves feel the way we do and then work towards making changes to be more positive and relaxed. It is okay if things do not go perfectly to plan (and we watch too much Netflix) as long as we stay in a good mindset and work towards achieving our goals. Some tips to combat the toll of lockdowns:

  1. Stay connected with others

It can start to feel lonely, but keep in touch with others. Organise video chats, movie or game nights to avoid isolation and depression.

 

  1. Sustained care

Look after your body by getting a good night’s sleep and doing some physical activity, whether it is outside or indoors. Ride your bike, go for a walk. Dance in your living room or do some yoga by watching an online tutorial at home. Mediation is fantastic in calming the mind and body. Eat a healthy diet and limit your alcohol intake to give you more energy and motivation which will help to manage the restrictions.

  1. Set boundaries

Plan when you will study and when you have some downtime. Ensure you separate them to give yourself adequate breaks and reduce burning out. Working from home can blur boundaries so be mindful and make a plan. By controlling our time, we can focus on what is in our control, minimise helplessness and manage anger and frustration.

  1. Seek support

If you feel you may not be coping well and you do not have close family or friends you can confide in please talk to a GP you trust or contact a counselling service/mental health professional that can help you. Some help services in Australia include-

              Lifeline 13 11 14
             Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
             Headspace 1800 650 890

We are not alone and must help each other to overcome such a troubling time in our history. Take care of yourself, we will come out of this stronger than before!

References:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-08/tips-to-keep-your-mental-health-in-check-during-lockdown/100357184
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2020/03/22/9-mental-health-practices-to-maintain-or-begin-during-coronavirus-lockdown/?sh=46a1d87b4264
https://theconversation.com/lockdowns-dont-get-easier-the-more-we-have-them-melbourne-here-are-6-tips-to-help-you-cope-161991

Effective Ways to Improve Personal Development Skills

By Alisha Shewale

 

What are personal development skills?

Personal development skills include things like personal qualities, personality traits, intrinsic social cues, and communication ability. To attain your own goals, you must develop these talents through a self-improvement process that focuses on growing your knowledge, capacities, and self-awareness.

Personal development skill types

  • Showing initiative
  • Self-confidence
  • Problem-solving
  • Communication
  • Adaptability

How can I strengthen my personal development abilities?

  • Confront your fears.

Face your fears head on. Face your anxieties front on and realise that they are all learned phobias that can be overcome with self-discipline. If you’re shy, for example, take the time to introduce yourself to new people, observe group dynamics, and offer follow-up questions during conversations.

  • Discover something new

Improve your personal development skills by acquiring a new skill or educating yourself on a topic. It could be a webinar, a book, a course, or a new hobby. Because of this, your mind and senses will change and you’ll be able to develop your skills.

  • Look for a mentor

Never be hesitant to seek someone you trust for advice on how to better your own self-development if you need it. However, it is important to be honest with yourself and receptive to comments from others.

  • Reflect

Self-awareness is the only way to enhance your own abilities, and reflecting at the end of each day is one of the best ways to do so. To better understand yourself, keep a record of your observations as well as current events, decisions, and interactions.

  • Be curious

There is no such thing as a foolish question, so always ask. Never stop learning, whether it’s asking your professor how they got to where they are or asking a friend to elaborate on a topic or concept you don’t fully grasp.

 

How many hours should we spend on exercises every day?

 

For an average human adult, it is encouraged to spend 30-40 mins on cardio per day to keep the body in a healthy state.

If this sounds easy for you, then great! You have quite a healthy lifestyle. But if you are a beginner of sports, or if you have never done any exercise before, 30 mins per day may even be too much for you to get started.

If you’re looking for some activities to begin with, you can do some moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as brisk walking. These types of activities are usually safe for most people and you are not likely to get injured.

Benefits of Exercises

There are many benefits of physical exercises. According to the CDC official website, “some benefits of physical activity on brain health happen right after a session of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.” The benefits include:

  • Improved thinking or cognition for children 6 to 13 years old
  • Reduced short-term feelings of anxiety for adults.
  • Improved sleep quality
  • Keeping your thinking, learning and judgement skills sharp as you age
  • Slowing the loss of bone density
  • Building strong, healthy muscles
  • And more…

So, with all these benefits of exercises, what can we do if we are still in a lockdown? If you have no clue of what to do, this game may be the right one for you.

Ring Fit Adventure: Best Exercise Game on Switch

Ring Fit Adventure is an exercising action role-playing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. The game comes with two physical components: the Ring-Con, a Pilates ring that the user holds and one Joy-Con slots into, and a Leg Strap, a piece of fabric affixed to the user’s leg that holds the other Joy-Con.

The only thing you need is a TV and a Nintendo Switch. TV is easy. And if you are going to stay at home for a long time, a Switch is a really good investment.

The game comes with different difficulties, so you can choose the difficulty level based on your current body condition.

There is a great adventure for you to explore. To beat the monsters, you need to do all sorts of exercises including cardio, HIIT exercises, and yoga. You can also select a set of activities to do if you have a plan to strengthen some part of your body.

 

Volunteering Opportunities

 

According to the Oxford Dictionary, “Volunteer” means freely offering to do something. It gives great pride to offer something to someone who is not as lucky as we are. Benefits for volunteering last a long time, not for the people you are helping but for you as well. People volunteer because one can give back to the community, make a difference in someone’s life, help the environment and many more.

Why Volunteer ?

There are benefits for yourself to provide love to someone in need –

  • Meet new people and build new community
  • Gain knowledge and understanding of life
  • Boost your self-esteem
  • Advance your career by improving job prospects

And there are many more….

Opportunities

Due to the pandemic, the world has transformed itself to digital. There are many opportunities online for volunteering virtually. Yes, it is better to help people and learn more when we meet, but no one can be blamed here.

The following links can be helpful to search for opportunities for volunteering in Australia-

1)Do Something Near You: Virtual Volunteering: https://dosomethingnearyou.com.au/…\

2)Seek Volunteer: https://www.volunteer.com.au/volunteering?suitablefor=12NSW :

3)GO Volunteer: https://govolunteer.com.au/volunteering…

4)UN Volunteers: https://www.onlinevolunteering.org/en

5)Play for Lives: https://www.playforlives.org/

6)Emergency Support Volunteering: https://emergency.volunteer.org.au/

7)Zooniverse: https://www.zooniverse.org/

 

Engineering joke of the month

By Elaheh Alipour

Photo from MonkeyUser.com