On June 8, 2024, from 9 to 12 AM, at the Central Technical Library of the University of Ljubljana (CTK), we organized our already traditional student break – Morning Coffee in at CTK together with the team from Skupina Povezani and CTK. This was the second year in a row that we gathered at the same place, but each time brings new moments to remember.

Beating Exam Stress with Coffee

The exam session always brings stress – hours and hours of studying, conversations revolving only around exams, first and second attempts, passed or not, some taking the exam for the first time, and some for the fifth time. That's why we decided to take a short break to catch our breath: to relax, to laugh, and to remind ourselves that we're in this study stress together.

Students lining up in front of the CTK library building.
Hundreds of students lined up in front of CTK, waiting even before opening to secure a spot in the library on time.

With a cup of hot coffee in hand, and thanks to Burek Olimpija, we enjoyed delicious burek with meat and with cheese. We also tried to bring in a bit of fun – we invited students to bring their own cups, and there was a prize for the most creative ones.

A student smiling while eating a piece of burek.
Free warm burek – the secret formula for solving even the toughest mathematical problems 😉
A group of students with hot coffee posing for the camera.
A group of students with hot coffee, posing for the camera.

We asked two questions that revealed a whole palette of student emotions

For an extra dose of interaction, we set up two big boards with questions that simply make you want to answer: “How do I survive the exam session?" and "Kako bi opisal počutje med izpitnem obdobjem?” (“How would you describe your feelings during the exam period?" in Slovenian).

The reactions were instant – students rushed to write, and the answers were everything but boring: from "chaotic" and “We want to sleep! (not in CTK)!" to "chill", "stressed", "exhausted", "happy" and "sleepy". In other words – a whole spectrum of student emotions, honestly poured into just a few words.

A white board with handwritten student answers about their feelings during the exam period.
Witty and sincere answers on the big question boards at CTK.

How we went from coffee to a flight simulator and 3D printing machines

As a bonus for students, in cooperation with the university's technical library, the program was enriched with a CTK exhibition, where a flight simulator, 3D printers, and other interesting equipment were presented. Students could try them out and then rent them for free at the CTK Creative Studio – part of their educational program.

Coffee and burek = motivation to get up every day and study for 12 hours

Around 150 people visited the joint stand of MSOS, Skupina Povezani, and CTK to hang out, have coffee, grab a snack, and exchange stories among books and deadlines. The event took place in an excellent atmosphere – lots of smiles, new acquaintances, and a small reminder that even in the most stressful periods, there's always time for coffee and good company.

Students gathered at the joint stand during the event.
Part of the atmosphere at the joint stand

See you again next year – even more relaxed and with even more coffee!

A collage of photos showing students, coffee cups, and burek.
Good company, lots of memories, and exam stress overcome together.