Commuter Appreciation Week
Events for Commuters
Monday, Feb. 9
Chill with Chili | Commuter Appreciation Week Kick-off
February 9 | 11:30 AM-1:30 PM | Fireside Lounge, main floor, UMSU University Centre
Help us kick off Commuter Appreciation Week! Drop by the Fireside Lounge in the UC for a free bowl of chili (meat or vegetarian) with a bun, enter one of many prize draws featured throughout the week, and chill with other commuters! There will be games, music, and give-aways. Whether you walk, bike, take the bus, carpool, drive, or run…. all commuters are welcome!
Meditation Monday
February 9 | 11:30 AM-12:00 PM | Student Wellness Centre (Room 162 Extended Education Complex)
Drop by the Student Wellness Centre and join us for a meditation session where you can unwind and relax.
Grab and Go Granola Bars - Connection Desk Pop-Up at Bannatyne Campus
February 9 | 11:30 AM-1:30 PM | Brodie Atrium Mezzanine
Stop by for a free grab-and-go granola bar — quick fuel for your commute and your classes.
Hot Chocolate Station
February 9 | 1:30 PM-3:00 PM | Migizii Agamik
Because commuting in winter is hard. Hot chocolate helps. 💙
Hosted by the UM Indigenous Student Association
Valentine's Market
February 9 | 9:00 AM-4:00 PM | MPR (UMSU University Centre)
Stop by the Valentine’s Market to explore student-made prints, live screen printing, and handmade cards, alongside a variety of incredible local makers and artisans. It’s a great chance to connect, create, and support meaningful work this Valentine’s season.
Hosted by the Arts Student Body Council (ASBC) and UM Student-Organized Market Initiative (SOMI)
Tuesday, Feb. 10
Hot Chocolate Station
February 10 | 8:00 AM-10:00 AM | John A. Russell Building
Commuting today? Grab a free hot chocolate and start your day warm.
Hosted by the Student Architectural Society (SAS)
Grab and Go Granola Bars
February 10 | 8:30 AM-4:30 PM | Connection Desk (First floor, UMSU University Centre)
On the go? Stop by the UM Connection Desk for a free grab-and-go granola bar — quick fuel for your commute and your classes.
Tea with Auntie: Supporting Your Physical Health with Sydney Michalyshen
February 10 | 11:30 AM-12:30 PM | Circle Room - Migizii Agamik
Sydney is a personal trainer and cross fit champion who works at Undefeated Health & Performance and works with several Indigenous students and staff from UM including Rayden Seela and Carla Loewen. She will share tips to help maintain your health, energy and fitness goals!
Cultivating Healthier Connections and Communities
February 10 | 1:00 PM-2:15 PM | Spiritual Care and Multi-Faith Centre (521 UMSU University Centre)
Workshop focusing on the relationships we have with each other and larger communities, how to establish and respect boundaries, learn to recognize the sigs of healthy connections and communities, and provide campus resources.
Parting Ways with Perfectionism
February 10 | 3:00 PM-4:00 PM | Charge Ahead (107 Tier Building)
Perfectionism keeping you stuck? This workshop will help you overcome all-or-nothing thinking, manage fear of mistakes, and start finishing your work with confidence.
Men in Dialogue (MinD): Healthy Relationships, dating
February 10 | 5:00 PM-6:30 PM | Location provided upon registration
Men in Dialogue (MinD) is a drop-in space for men to have meaningful conversations about respect, boundaries and healthy masculinity. Students who self-declare as men and/or gender non-binary are encouraged to join.
Wednesday, Feb. 11
Bison Break
February 11 | 9:00 AM-12:00 PM | Fireside Lounge (UMSU University Centre)
Need a quick break between classes? Stop by Bison Break at the Fireside Lounge from 9:00 AM –12:00 PM for free coffee and fun games — plus a chance to enter a prize draw while you recharge before heading back out.
Pit Stop at Charge Ahead: How to make the most of your commute
February 11 | 10:00 AM-2:00 PM | Fletcher Argue Hallway
Commuters, make a pit stop at the Charge Ahead table in the Fletcher hallway on Wednesday, Feb 11 between 10:00 AM–2:00 PM for Commuter Appreciation Week! Share what you do during your commute and enjoy a free hot chocolate (until supplies last). Chat with Charge Ahead mentors about ways to make the most of your commute time, and enter for a chance to win a $25 UM Bookstore gift card.
Networking Workshop
February 11 | 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM | Virtual
Attend this workshop to learn the benefits of networking, types of networking opportunities, how to initiate and build positive relationships, engage in various networking environments, and practice a range of approaches with other workshop participants.
UM Behind the Hire: Wawanesa
February 11 | 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM | Virtual
UM Behind the Hire is a monthly lunchtime info session series designed to help students explore career pathways, meet employers actively hiring, and gain insight into workplace culture and expectations. Each session includes a presentation followed by Q&A and discussion.
Karaoke and Card Making
February 11 | 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM | Student Wellness Centre (Room 162 Extended Education Complex)
Come by the Student Wellness Centre for a Valentine's Day event! We will be hosting karaoke and card making. Make a card for anyone special in your life - a partner, friend, or a warm message to yourself, from yourself.
Mindfulness Meditation
February 11 | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Multi-Faith Centre (521 UMSU University Centre)
Led by experienced monks from the Theravada tradition, this session is open to all ages and levels of experience – whether you’re new to meditation or looking to deepen your practice, these sessions offer a welcoming space for personal growth and relaxation. All are welcome!
Thursday, Feb. 12
Hot Chocolate Station
February 12 | 9:00 AM-11:00 AM | Belltower Cafe (St. Paul's College)
Commuting today? Grab a free hot chocolate and start your day warm.
Hosted by the St. Paul's College Students' Association (SPCSA)
Bubble Tea Station
February 12 | 11:00 AM-1:00 PM | Arts Lounge (2nd floor, Fletcher Argue)
Grab a bubble tea, take a breather, and enjoy something sweet.
Hosted by the Arts Student Body Council (ASBC)
Study Together
February 12 | 11:30 AM-1:00 PM | Icelandic Board Room (324 Elizabeth Dafoe Library)
Study Together is a weekly workshop and study hall to build and practice study skills together. If you want to learn new study skills, tune up your existing habits or simply want to designate time to get homework done in a co-working environment this is the group for you.
Fireside Chats
February 12 | 11:30 AM-12:30 PM | Circle Room - Migizii Agamik
Join an engaging Fireside Chat with Elder Garry Robson as he shares knowledge, stories, and perspectives rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing. This conversation offers an opportunity to listen, reflect, and learn in a welcoming, respectful space.
Hosted by Indigenous Student Centre
Winter Active Rec Skate
February 12 | 12:30 PM-2:30 PM | Wayne Fleming Arena - Max Bell Centre (Fort Garry Campus)
Open to all UM students, staff and faculty for free! Stop by our Max Bell Customer Service desk with your staff/student card and complete a waiver to participate.
Bring your skates or reserve a pair online! A limited number of skates and helmets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Hosted by Recreation Services
You’re Not Behind! Recognizing Progress in Graduate School
February 12 | 1:00 PM-2:15 PM | Charge Ahead (107 Tier Building)
Feeling behind is common in graduate school, but it’s not always accurate. This workshop is for graduate students who want to build realistic optimism and learn how to recognize progress that often gets overlooked. You'll leave with practical tools to reframe setbacks, notice momentum, and acknowledge your wins, even when the finish line still feels far away.
Friday, Feb. 13
Valentine's Rom-Com Movie Night
February 13 | 5:00 PM-7:00 PM | IC Global Lounge (541 UMSU University Centre)
Join us for our Valentine’s Rom-Com Movie Night🍿🍿.
Vote on your preferred Rom-Com when you sign up. Movie starts at 5:00 p.m.
Rocking For a Cause
February 13 | 5:30 PM-10:00 PM | John J Conklin Theatre (Taché Hall Arts Complex)
The UM Food Bank is excited to announce that Concert Night: Rocking for a Cause is making its comeback in 2026 - and this time, it will be sweeter than ever!
Capture your Commute
Capture your Commute is a Commuter Appreciation Week contest that recognizes the ways students get to campus each day.
All entries across contest categories will be included in daily prize draws, with category-specific winners being selected and highlighted later in the week.
Contest will open at 6:30 a.m. on Monday, February 9.
Categories include:
- Commuter photo contest
- Earliest commute
- Most bus transfers
- Most exciting commute
- Longest commute
- Largest carpool
- Latest commute
Prize list
- Daily prize packs
- Gift cards to dining services around campus
- Two tickets to Festival du Voyageur
- Two tickets to Rocking with a Cause
- Grand Prize: One of two $1500 tuition credits to be applied to full-time studies in the 2026-27 academic year.
Contest rules and regulations
Eligibility
This contest is open to any person who is 18 years or older at the time of entry and is an enrolled full-time or part-time student in either an undergraduate or graduate program at the University of Manitoba and is a resident of Manitoba and has reached the age of majority. Employees, faculty, and staff of the University of Manitoba are not eligible to enter or win.
Contest Period
The contest begins on February 9, 2026, at 6:30 a.m. and ends on February 13, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. (Central Time).
How to Enter
To enter, participants must complete and submit the Capture your Commute form.
Limit of one entry per person, per category, per day unless otherwise stated.
Prize
Prizes will be announced no later than Monday, February 9. The prize must be accepted as awarded and is non-transferable and non-exchangeable. No cash alternative will be offered.
Winner Selection
A random draw will be conducted each day (February 9-13) at 4:00 p.m. from all eligible entries received across categories.
Category random draws will be conducted on February 13 at 4:00 p.m. from all eligible category-specific entries received.
The selected entrant will be contacted via email address that was associated with the form submission provided by the Eligible Participant at the time of entering the Contest. The University will email the Prize Winner at least three (3) times within ten (10) days of the contest closing date. If a Prize Winner does not respond to being contacted in that time, another Prize Winner will be randomly selected, and the initial Prize Winners will be disqualified and will have no recourse towards the University, or anyone involved in the Contest.
Skill-Testing Question
To be declared a winner, the selected entrant must correctly answer the following skill-testing question without assistance:
(8 × 2) + (12 ÷ 3) – 4 = ?
Release and Waiver
By entering the contest, participants agree to release and hold harmless the University of Manitoba, its affiliates, employees, and agents from any and all liability for any injuries, loss, or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with participation in the contest or acceptance, use, or misuse of the prize.
Consent to Photography
By entering the photography category of the contest, participants are asked for their consent to use contest-related photography or media.
These images or recordings may be used by the University of Manitoba for promotional, educational, or reporting purposes in print, digital, or social media formats.
No additional compensation will be provided for the use of such materials.
General Conditions
The University of Manitoba reserves the right to cancel, suspend, or modify the contest at any time for any reason.
By entering, participants consent to the use of their name, likeness, and entry for promotional purposes without additional compensation, unless prohibited by law.
The contest is subject to all applicable federal, provincial, and municipal laws.