Denmark's smallest isle offers stressed students a tranquil, tech-free haven for focused learning amidst nature's serenity
A tranquil refuge from the urban hustle, Denmark's "Youth Island" provides students a means to escape city distractions and enhance their focus on academic pursuits. Located just a short 30-minute boat ride from Copenhagen, Ungdomsøen offers students a vital space to immerse in their coursework and recharge amidst nature.
The island, managed by the Ungdomsøen Foundation, acts as a communal study retreat for university students in the Danish capital. Project manager Mina Kjeldsen emphasizes the initiative's goal of providing an accessible, diverse space for students to aid one another in their academic endeavors during exam preparation periods.
Annually, the Youth Island hosts 20 to 40 students at a time, offering a retreat sphere for collaborative learning, structured downtime, and collective academic progress. Participants relish the isolated setting that contrasts sharply with their daily studies on the mainland, owing to the island's fresh air, open space, and serene atmosphere.
During the day, students tackle group projects, exam papers, and thesis drafts, either working individually or alongside their classmates. Sol Rem Rasmussen, one of the event hosts and a volunteer, highlights the unique benefit of this peaceful environment, stating: "You don't have the noise, you just have sun and blue sky and some nice places to study. It's not really an option to be stressed by your everyday life. You get to go away."
Environments such as this island can provide a beneficial effect on focus and stress management, according to environmental psychologists. By reducing distractions and stepping out of routine, students can foster increased focus and productivity.
Alongside peer-to-peer support, the retreat offers professional guidance from Roskilde University lecturers who help students working on longer projects or theses. This academic assistance offers an additional layer of support to students as they delve into their research and thesis writing.
In the evenings, shared meals, social gatherings, and leisure activities such as saunas and swimming help balance academic intensity with relaxation and interaction. These moments of camaraderie further support students, fostering a shared understanding of the challenges faced during their academic journey and providing an opportunity for peer mentorship.
Organizers of the retreat believe that this informal support system can be as valuable as academic feedback. As participants leave the retreat, they often do so with shared experiences and new perspectives on academic challenges and personal growth.
Ungdomsøen seeks to create a communal, temporarily isolated space designed to help young people achieve their academic potential through focus, collaboration, and community. This innovative approach to university student wellness has received funding from the Copenhagen municipality and Danish companies and serves as an inspiring example of how spaces can be reinvented to better support the mental health and success of students.
- Science and education-and-self-development are key components of the Ungdomsøen retreat, as students immerse themselves in grueling academic pursuits, working on group projects, exam papers, and thesis drafts.
- In addition to academic focus, the retreat aims to prioritize health-and-wellness and mental-health, offering students a serene atmosphere for relaxation and interaction, promoting work-life balance and peer mentorship in their lifestyle.
