About the Zine
As summer comes to an end, we’re releasing the third edition of the Chapman Learning Commons zine, a collection of art and writing crafted entirely by our incredible student assistants here at the CLC. This time, we reflect on what it means to reconnect with ourselves and the world around us after an (often harrowing) academic year. Parallelly, we consider how students can use the summer to step outside their rooms and revitalize themselves for the first time after finals season.
As you read, you’ll find a collection of collages and art designed by our Peer Assistants. The colours and combinations of these pieces represent their unique interpretations of our overarching theme – to refresh, reconnect, and relax.
This zine’s assortment of reflections, games, and guides has been pieced together as a way to consider what reconnecting means to students who are often barely on their feet by the end of the school year.
Whether it’s listening to music or lying on a field to stare up at the clouds, each person has their own way of recharging. So, if you’re a passerby or a fellow student, we hope this curated selection of experiences helps you find a way to take a breath and pause before getting back to living a mile-a-minute.
Thank you for taking a moment,
Your Summer 2025 CLC Assistants
Getting Back Into Reading
Reflection by Natalia
When I decided to major in English, people warned me I might fall out of love with reading.
I understood that turning my hobbies into my studies could be risky, but being a bookworm through and through, I couldn’t fathom ever growing tired of books.
Well, cut to my first year of college, and the struggle began. I went from reading nearly 100 books a year to 15 or 20 max. By second year, I was barely reading for fun, just whatever was on the syllabus, and while most assigned texts were great reads, it just wasn’t the same. It wasn’t even that I didn’t have time. Rather, after finishing all my required readings for the day, picking up a book felt like extra work, and I couldn’t muster the energy to focus for more than a few pages. I started filling my free hours with other activities (like socializing, binge-watching shows, and doom-scrolling), saving the books I wanted to read for “later,” for a future me who would be well-rested and distraction-free.
But I missed getting lost in stories—life felt duller without them.
That’s why I’ve been trying to get out of my slump and back into reading this summer. I started swapping my morning screen time for a few pages and bringing a book everywhere I go, picking it up when I can without any pressure to finish it quickly. Slowly but surely, reading has started to feel natural and enjoyable again.
I realize now that I never lost my passion. I took a break, and that’s okay! Life gets busy, habits change, and sometimes the things we love take a backseat. The good news is we can always come back to them.
On the next page, I’ve put together a few of my favourite fiction reads from this summer. I think they all have one thing in common: ~ocean vibes~. Call them beach reads or simply atmospheric novels—either way, they helped me get back into reading, and I hope they do the same for you.
Beach Reads
Recommendations by Natalia
Circe by Madeline Miller
Greek Mythology • Feminist Retelling • Witchcore • Fantasy • Empowering • Character-Driven
“When I was born, the name for what I was did not exist.”
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Dark Academia • Portal Fantasy • Surreal • Dreamlike • Enchanting • Labyrinthine
“When the Moon rose in the Third Northern Hall I went to the Ninth Vestibule to witness the joining of three Tides.”
Monkey Beach by Eden Robinson
Indigenous Literature • Local Setting (BC) • Mystery • Supernatural • Coming-of-age • Beautiful • Haunting
“Six crows sit in our greengage tree. Half-awake, I hear them speak to me in Haisla.”
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Classic Novel • Gothic (Romance?) • Psychological Thriller • Introspective • Tense • Atmospheric
“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.”
Some of these novels contain sensitive topics! Consider looking up trigger warnings before reading.
Hobbies for Sunny Summer Days
List by Manel
Enjoy your summer fun and find hobbies for sunny summer days!
Make beaded jewelry
Plant a vegetable garden
Read a book
Play pickleball or badminton
Personalize bookmarks
Bake new desserts
Visit a new park and explore the nature
Rekindling Friendships over the Summer
Written by Suha
During the winter semesters with so much going on, your social life tends to take a hit. You might have 4-5 courses, work, extracurriculars, perhaps a commute, AND need to look after yourself. Because of this, drifting away from friends does happen, and it’s not exactly anyone’s fault if both of you are busy. I get it, because it happens to me as well. If you want to reconnect, but you’re not able to plan hangouts as much, then that’s what summer is for! I always try to utilize the summer as much as I can for socializing and reconnecting with friends. Therefore, I’m happy to provide some tips on how to reach out, reconnect and stay friends!
Firstly, let’s get the awkwardness out of the way:
Asking to catch up with a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while might be awkward at first. I like to reach out and apologize for not meeting in a while and give a small explanation. This can be either over a call or text (although a call might sound slightly more genuine.) Then, I would go on to ask about how they’ve been and eventually ask them if they would like to meet up. If they agree and you have set a date and time, then let’s prepare for the next step!
Planning your hangout:
The hangout is an important part of rekindling a friendship. If you plan one, it should be something you both enjoy. This could be a simple coffee date at a cute cafe or a pottery painting session, the options are endless. When I was reconnecting with a friend, I planned a small picnic at our favorite sunset spot near the beach. We used to come here often in our first year, talk and play games. Choosing a place where both of you have had memories together would make for a nice way to show your genuine want to reconnect!
I would also recommend starting with an activity for smoother conversation. For my beach picnic, I brought some card games and a frisbee to help us
transition from small talk to a more natural and genuine conversation.
But just in case, here are some conversation starters that usually work for me when I’m catching up with someone over the summer:
- Asking about their summer so far/Telling them about yours
- Asking if they’ve tried any activities you think they might find interesting
- Asking about someone close to them (How is _?)
- Asking about how their career/work/studies are going
Staying connected:
Of course, now that you have met up and (hopefully) have had a nice time reconnecting with them, the next important step is to stay connected, which, in my opinion, is the hardest. I’ve had difficulty doing this in the past, but what I have learned is that reaching out is never a bad option. Making the effort to spend time with them, planning activities together, or simply just calling and talking for a while is more than enough to show that you genuinely care about the bond. As we transition into adulthood, maintaining friendships is all about putting in the effort, as it’s different from the school environment where you can see your friends every day. Even if you drift apart but still care about your friends, rekindling the friendship is never too difficult if the feeling is mutual. It is, after all, the little things that matter the most in this case. 🙂
