Wellness Week: October 19 – 25, 2026
From Monday, October 19th through Sunday, October 25th, 2026, the SOGS Graduate Peer Support committee will host its annual WELLNESS WEEK, subsidized by SOGS and supported by the Grad Club.
Wellness Week offers a variety of wellness- and social-related programming for WesternU grad students to help them get outside their academic work and get in touch with other parts of their life.
⚠️ NOTE: Ticketed event capacity is limited. Tickets are being sold on a first come, first served basis. Tickets are non-refundable. Members who find they can no longer come to an event they have purchased tickets to are encouraged to sell or give away their tickets to grad student friends, peers, and colleagues.
🎁 All event registrants and ticket holders will be entered to win 1 of 3 WELLNESS WEEK PRIZE PACKS valued at $100 each! Our prize packs include:
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- The Prosperous PhD: Secrets to Success from Top Supervisors book by Judy Wearing, Christopher DeLuca, and Stephen MacGregor
- $20 Grad Club gift certificate
- SOGS travel ceramic mug
- Student VIP travel cutlery set
- Student VIP cat squish phone stand
- Herbal tea
- Adult colouring book
- Face masks & shower steamers
- Chocolates and candy
- SOGS-branded, limited edition tote bag
MONDAY, OCTOBER 19
💰FINANCIAL WELLNESS WORKSHOP
2 p.m. | Middlesex College, Room 17
💸 Do you want to get some financial wellness insights? Does budgeting make you nervous?
Join us for a Financial Wellness Workshop with professional accountant SUMEET KHULLAR (CPA-CA) where you can learn more about:
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Budgeting on stipends
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Credit hygiene (scores, utilization, repayment prioritization)
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High-level taxes for grad students
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Investing basics (RRSP/TFSA 101 for low-income students)
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Cash-flow planning (incl. big purchases like a car)
Hosted by the Graduate Peer Support Committee.
ABOUT SUMEET: Sumeet is a finance professional and educator with over 20 years of industry experience. After earning his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto, he began his CPA-CA training with KPMG and went on to hold accounting and leadership roles at companies such as Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaws. He now teaches various accounting courses at the DAN Management Department at Western University, bringing real-world insights into the classroom. Beyond teaching, Sumeet serves on the Board of Trustees for the London Waldorf School and has previously served on the City of London Audit Committee.
⚠️ This is not a personal financial advisory meeting. Our speaker will NOT provide any attendees with personal financial advice.
🔮TAROT FOR WELLNESS
5-6:30 p.m. | WIRB, Room 1120
Curious about tarot but not sure where to start? Join us for a very special 🔮 Tarot or Wellness: A Beginner Workshop!
Join Dr. Caroline Diezyn for a hands-on introduction to tarot as a tool for reflection and self-check-ins. You will learn how the deck is organized, how to read a card from its imagery and your own reactions, how to ask open-ended questions, and how to try a few simple spreads with a partner. No experience or deck needed; cards are provided to share, and you will take home a handout set to keep practising. Come with an open mind and leave with a new way to pause and check in with yourself.
Dr. Caroline Diezyn holds a PhD in English from Western University, where their dissertation examined how American literature has rewritten Giles Corey and the Salem witch trials. Their research also covers Pamela Colman Smith, the artist behind the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck, and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. They work in digital media and communications at SOGS, teach communications and writing at Fanshawe College, and run Moon of Retribvtion, an independent art shop with occult, witchy, and gothic-inspired prints, stickers, pins, and zines. Tarot is also part of their own reflection practice.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20
🎓PROSPEROUS PHD WORKSHOP
10-11 a.m. | Virtual
📚 Join the co-authors of The Prosperous PhD: Secrets to Success from Top Supervisors for an interactive workshop exploring practical strategies for navigating doctoral education with greater balance and confidence.
Drawing on more than 140 pieces of advice from experienced doctoral supervisors across 45 institutions and eight countries, the session will invite participants to reflect on some of the choices that shape a doctoral journey, including relationships, balance, managing challenges, and continued growth. Participants will leave with practical ideas and reflective strategies they can apply to their own graduate experience.
🎨FALL MAKERS MARKET
2-6 p.m. | IGAB Atrium
🛍️ Looking for a one-of-a-kind gift? Want to treat yourself to something handmade?
Come out to the Makers Market and shop local goods made by Western graduate students.
Chat with the makers about how they create their work, find your new favourite shop, and support the graduate student community while you’re at it. Vendors change with every market, so there’s always something new to discover.
Vendors TBA.
Hosted by the Graduate Peer Support Committee.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21
📝STUDY HALL: ABSTRACT WRITING
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Grad Club (Middlesex College, Room 19)
Do you need some support on your graduate writing journey? Do you have a hard time sitting down to write your thesis?
Join the SOGS Study Hall, hosted by the Academic Committee, for a monthly session of group writing! This special session has an emphasis on writing abstracts for academic purposes.
🩺HEALTH PLAN 101
5 p.m. | Middlesex College, Room 105B
Want to learn more about the SOGS Health and Dental plan? Have questions about your insurance coverage? Don’t know how to use your insurance plan?
Join us for an in-person HEALTH PLAN 101 with StudentVIP, our insurance broker.
🍽️ Refreshments for attendees
🩺 Hosted by the SOGS Health Plan Committee
⚠️ This event has been accidentally advertised via email as taking place on Thursday. This event takes place on Wednesday, October 21st.
♟️BOARD GAME NIGHT
7-9 p.m. | Grad Club (Middlesex College, Room 19)
Love playing board games? ♟️ Think nachos hit the spot? 🍽️
Bring your peers, friends, and colleagues for a night of board games, laughter, and good eats. Note: Food will be limited.
Did you know Board Game Night is a tradition of SOGS’ Orientation & Social Committee? The Grad Club has 60+ games, so there’s something for everyone.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22
🧘♀️RESTORATIVE CLASS
8:15-9:15 a.m. | &asanas: The Collective (140 Ann St Unit 203/204)
Join us for another fun class at &asansa during our annual Wellness Week (October 19-25, 2026)!
This 🧘♀️ restorative class is suitable for everyone — beginners and those more advanced. The class includes mats and other equipment. (BYO mat if you like.)
🚌 Meet us there!
⚠️ BYO bottled water
☮️SPIRITUAL CONNECTIONS
5-7p.m. | UCC, Room 38B
Spirituality and religion are integral parts of many peoples’ lives. We want to connect graduate students with like-minded students, spiritual resources, city programming, and more!
Join the SOGS International Commissioner and the University Chaplain for a SPIRITUAL CONNECTIONS event!
👨🎓 Hear from student ambassadors
🕍 Meet the spiritual guides working on campus
⛪️ Learn more about local spiritual resources
🕌 Connect with a variety of different faith systems
☮️ Engage in multi-faith dialogue and community bonding
🎨 Work on relaxing crafts
Our hope for our international audience is to find people of similar faith traditions who could present them to their faith community, increasing community embracement, and supporting their sense of belonging to Western, London, and Canada.
Questions? Reach out to international@sogs.ca.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23
🐴 HORSEBACK RIDING & ANIMAL CONNECTIONS
12:30-5:15 p.m. | Pick-up at Middlesex College, front doors | $60
SOLD OUT!
Do you love horses and nature? Want to go for a trail ride with us? Are you in need of some calming animal connections?
Join the Orientation & Social Committee for a super fun afternoon at Circle R Ranch, a horse ranch and cross country ski spot just outside of London. We’re hoping to connect with animals and nature to calm our spirits and increase our sense of joy and wonder.
🚌 Bus pick-up and drop-off at Middlesex College, front doors
⚠️ BYO snacks and water — there are no spots to buy food or drink at Circle R
🥾 Wear a boot with a heel (rain boots are fine!)
🏋️♀️ Note: Rider weight limit of 91 kg/200 lbs due to horse availability
Ticket includes:
🚌 Bus to and from Circle R Ranch
🏇 Horseback riding lesson and trail ride
🐴 Horse connections and animal wellness workshop
🚜 Hay rides around the property
🥾 Hiking (if time permits)
♿️ Due to the nature of this event and the terrain of Circle R, it is not accessible for folks who use mobility aids.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24
👻 ABANDONED VILLAGE
7-10:30 p.m. | pick-up Middlesex College, front doors | $35
Do you like Halloween? Want to be scared by all things that go bump in the night?
Join the SOGS Graduate Peer Support Committee for a super scary night event at Fanshawe Pioneer Village’s
ABANDONED VILLAGE!
📍Abandoned Village at Fanshawe Pioneer Village (2609 Fanshawe Park Road East, London, Ontario, N5X 4A1)
🚌 Bus trip: pick-up/drop-off at Middlesex College, front doors
🎟 $35 per SOGS member / $47 for non-SOGS member guests
💕 Bring a partner or a friend (Non-SOGS members pay full price)
🌧 All weather event — rain or shine! Dress for the weather — you will be outside for 3 hours
🛑 CHILDREN ARE NOT PERMITTED TO ATTEND
♿️ Due to the nature of this event and the terrain of Fanshawe Pioneer Village’s Abandoned Village, it is not accessible for folks who use mobility aids.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25
🧗ROCK CLIMBING
3 – 5 p.m. | Junction Climbing Centre (1030 Elias Street) | $25
Want to take a break from your scholarly and professional work? Need to stretch those muscles and re-connect with your body?
Join the Graduate Peer Support Committee for an off-campus 🧗♀️ ROCK CLIMBING event to end Wellness Week!
🚌 Meet us there! (Map your bus route
HERE)
🎟 $25 (SOGS is subsidizing this event to make it more accessible!)
⚠️ Tickets are FINAL SALE. Tickets are very limited. Tickets are limited to one (1) per SOGS member.
🧗♀️ This event is perfect for beginner climbers as each ticket includes shoes and gear.
Have questions or concerns about our Wellness Week events? Reach out to sogs.communications@uwo.ca.
