Sweater weather has arrived, along with one of the busiest months on campus. October is packed with opportunities to learn, connect, reflect and have fun, with everything from Ukraine Week and Consent Action Week to study breaks, theatre and visits with WAGS dogs.
Before we dig in, a couple of calendar notes: the university is closed for Thanksgiving on October 12, and you won’t be alone if you decide to dress up for Halloween. There’s usually a group photo somewhere on campus that day, so keep your eyes peeled.
Ukraine Week
Join the Ukrainian Resource and Development Centre for several events on October 1, including a live reading with acclaimed Ukrainian poet Yaryna Chornohuz and a gathering focused on weaving with Shelby LaFramboise where stories, memories and relationships come together. Go to MacEwan.ca/UkraineWeek for the full list of events, including several that extend later into October.
Consent Action Week
Kick things off by learning practical skills for preventing sexual violence, supporting survivors and creating consent culture at the Consent Skills Fair on October 5. There are prizes, too! Then, learn more throughout the week at events like Mapping the Manosphere and Beyond the Binary. And you can talk things through as you decorate a mug at Consent and Tea on October 6. Then continue the conversation – and crafting – on October 28 with Boundaries and Pumpkin Painting).
Find connections
Looking to connect with people on campus? Stop by Art Buffet every Wednesday from 12 to 4 p.m. There’s even a special friendship-bracelet-making edition for Consent Action Week. Or meet in the Global Lounge next to MacEwan International for Tea Chat Tuesdays from 2 to 3 p.m. every week for board games, tea and snacks.
Want companionship of the canine kind? Wellness Animals Giving Support (WAGS) is at the Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity every Monday and Thursday from 12 to 1:30 p.m. You can also join them for Student Hatha Yoga Flow on October 20, at Downward Dog, Upward Consent on October 5 as part of Consent Action Week and at kihêw waciston from 12 to 1 p.m. on October 29.
And speaking of kihêw waciston, stop by for a crafting circle on October 14 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Bring your own project.) Then head back on October 28 for spooky beading and candle making.
Take care of yourself
Stop by the Library for a Study Break Stretch every Thursday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Come as you are – street clothes are perfectly fine – and you can stay for five minutes or the full hour. And if you want to get your blood pumping, head over to kihêw waciston for Pow Wow Aerobics on October 14 from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m.
Wellness and Psychological Services has a whole lineup of regular sessions, including Mindful Mondays drop-ins with the Peer Health Education Team in Room 8-207 from 10 to 11 a.m. They also offer support and therapy groups for students who experience social anxiety or ADHD and who are wondering if they might be autistic or are exploring an autism diagnosis.
Amp up your student skills
Take in sessions throughout October that cover exam prep and test-taking strategies, procrastination, time management and even a mid-term study session. And watch for activities and games (and prizes!) across campus from October 19 to 23 as part of Academic Integrity Week.
Plan for your future
Thinking about grad school? Stop by the Graduate School Fair on October 6 (you might also want to attend Choosing Your Path in Undergrad Research on October 5 to learn more about funding and opportunities at MacEwan). The Fall Career Fair is on October 14, and Bachelor of Commerce students can stop by co-op information sessions throughout October.
Have some fun
Sign up for a pickleball tournament on October 4, grab your western wear (but maybe skip the boots?) and hop on a spin bike for Spin the Beat Rodeo Remix on October 5. Then two-step your way over to Artist Amble – an evening of western music with performances by MacEwan alumni and friends on October 7 – and take a western twist on Paint Night at Towers Pub on October 8.
But wait, there’s more!
Interested in film? On October 1, take in The Perfect Match, a powerful documentary produced by Sheena Rossiter, assistant professor in the Department of Communications, about three advocates’ fight for diverse stem cell donors. Then, on October 23, plan to stop by kihêw waciston for a screening of pâkwêsikan sâkihitowin: Bannock Is Love, directed by MacEwan design student Tyra Delver, which premiered at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival.
Join award-winning Newfoundland writer Lisa Moore on October 7 as part of the Monica Miller Memorial Lecture.
If you’re lucky and already have your tickets in hand, you’ll be wrapping up October at the first 2026/27 Theatre Season show, a sold-out run of Rent that kicks off on October 28. If you missed out, there’s still time to make plans to go to Hunchback, The Penelopiad and Anything Goes.
Be sure to check MacEwan’s events feed for more events and opportunities.