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August: 10 free things to do on campus

Find your inner calm before the busy start of the new academic year with free weekly meditation sessions offered by the Emory Buddhist Club.

August is a transition month as it moves from the end of the summer to the start of the next academic year. Until students return and most classes resume Aug. 29, the campus is relatively calm, building up slowly from the first of the month until the last week.

This calm time offers several opportunities learn, view art, eat ice cream and more. Check out these 10 things to do on campus for August: 


1. Meditate for your health and spirit.

Join the Emory Buddhist Club every Thursday for information, discussion and a session on meditation, followed by light refreshments. Thursday, Aug. 9, a nun from the Dharma Jewel Monastery will lead a guided meditation. The weekly sessions feature experts on different types of meditation and how you can use it for relaxation, stress relief, better health and spiritual guidance. These events, held in Room 106 of Cannon Chapel, are free and open to the public.

2. Learn about Emory’s Evening MBA at an information breakfast.

Thinking about upping your game in your career or education? Take the opportunity to learn about the top-drawer Evening MBA program at Emory’s Goizueta Business School. A free Information Breakfast will be held at the school on Thursday, Aug. 9 at 7:45 a.m. Admissions staff will discuss the curriculum and application review process and current Evening MBA students will share their experiences and offer advice on maximizing the experience.

3. Attend the final talks in the Candler series on prayer.

Candler School of Theology experts wind up the series “Prayer in Word, Tradition, and Practice” in August. There are two more talks. Claire Asbury Lennox, Candler communications specialist, will present "Spiritual Writing as Prayer" on Aug. 12.  The series wraps Aug. 19 with "...Amen" presented by Joel M. LeMon, associate professor of Old Testament. The public is invited to come to Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church’s Ward Fellowship Hall for the talks, which are from 9:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

4. Have some ice cream.

The Emory Farmers Market is always a good idea. This month, there are two events, the last two before the regular season of weekly markets starts again with the academic year. The first one is Tuesday, Aug. 14; come enjoy the prepared foods and produce that’s always available. For the second and last one of the summer season, slated for Aug. 28, it’s an Ice Cream Social, a festive ending to the summer. Come for samples and cool and more. All markets are at 11 a.m. on the Cox Hall Bridge.

5. Get some in-depth information on sleep.

Sleep  — it’s a beautiful thing, though often elusive and scarce. It’s also a key factor in keeping healthy. Learn about it in a free webinar, “Sleeping for Optimal Health,” which will tell you what happens when you sleep, how much sleep should you get and if you might have a sleep disorder. Nancy Collop, one of Emory’s top sleep experts, facilitates the online discussion. Sign up for Aug. 23 from noon to 12:30 p.m.

6. Have some more ice cream.

The Center for Women is having an Ice Cream Open House on Thursday, Aug. 30, from noon to 2 p.m. Drop by the third floor of Cox Hall and see their space, learn about their services, and enjoy a complimentary dairy or non-dairy cool treat.  For more information, contact Tia Williams.

7. View the Balser Art Collection.

An often overlooked campus jewel, this diverse collection of more than 180 works by Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Marc Chagall,  David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, Jacques Lipchitz and Joan Miro and others, is displayed throughout the five stories of the Goizueta Foundation Center for Research and Doctoral Education at the Goizueta School of Business. The Balser Art Collection is free and accessible during building open hours.

8. Watch some videos for hard information on software.

Stream online tutorials with Lynda.com, a service that is free to Emory employees. You can access Lynda.com using your Emory NetID and password. Over 1,500 courses on a variety of software programs can help you with a project, get ahead in your job, or just have a better relationship with your computer.

9. Help kick off Emory’s fall athletic season.

Take your family or friends to see one of the opening contests for the season on Friday, Aug. 31, at 7 p.m. at the Woodruff P.E. Center. The Emory Volleyball Team plays Whittier College, and the Emory Men’s Soccer Team plays Hardin-Simmons University.

10. Catch the “She Gathers Me: Networks Among Black Women Writers” exhibit before it ends. 

Using the extensive archives of the Stuart A. Rose Library, this exhibition explores the networks created among black women writers beyond their published works, examining the connections found within intimate correspondence, personal projects and speeches. Located on Level 10 of the Woodruff Library, hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It closes Sept. 11.


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