Writing Night

The Writing Night always takes place on the first Thursday in March and at the end of September.

Did you miss the last Writing Night? No problem – we’re planning three short Writing Nights during the semester:

21.05., 11.06. and 09.07.2026
16:30 - 20:30 Uhr at the Mediothek Am Neuen Palais.

Registrations opens in early May. More detailed information will be published in due time. In the meantime, we’re here for you with support services throughout the year. We are looking forward to welcoming you :)!

Come check out our open study group “Vorbereiten - nachbereiten - abarbeiten”. During the winter semester, you’ll once again have the opportunity to participate in the Schreibwerkstatt, and you can take advantage of our Individual Writing Assistance at any time. If you’d like to learn more about our work and discover additional workshops, come meet us at the Campus Festival on June 5, 2026, as well as at the University Open House on June 12, 2026.

The “Lange Nacht der aufgeschobenen Hausarbeiten” was first organized by the European University Viadrina in 2010 and has since become a regular feature at many universities worldwide—held on the first Thursday in March.

Impressions of Writing Night on March, 5 2026

At the end of the winter semester 2025/26, the Writing Night took place at the IMKZ in Golm for the second time. With 97 registrations, the library quickly filled with students eager to write, creating a productive and enjoyable atmosphere.

After registering, students had the opportunity to try our ever-popular lucky wheel before either heading to their workspaces for the night or visiting the buffet in the cafeteria, which was stocked with various homemade treats.

In addition to quiet working time, participants could take part in one (or more) of the many workshops on offer. Thematically, the workshop program covered topics like AI usage or reference management, as well as procrastination, motivation, writing and revision strategies or literature research. This wide variation could only be offered thanks to the members of many departments of the university who volunteered to contribute their knowledge and expertise!

This time, we also celebrated the debut of an Escape Game that had specifically been developed to introduce and explore the facilities of the IKMZ in Golm. Students could form small groups and solve riddles that had been prepared across the building. We are working on expanding this format to other locations – so stay tuned!

Students who needed a break from their writing could either take part in the “Healthy Break” and practice some light work out and stretching exercises or join the night walk across the campus. Of course, the Writing Assistance team was always available for individual consultations.

Many thanks to all participants—and hopefully see you again next time!

Impressions of Writing Night on March, 6 2025 

The Writing Night celebrated its debut in the winter semester 2024/25 under the motto: "Write the Night into Day! Find your Flow!" at the IKMZ in Golm. In collaboration with the library team, the Coordination Office for Equal Opportunities the ZIM, the Feel Good Campus, and the Central Student Advisory Service, a diverse program was organized for nearly 80 participants.

After registration, participants were first drawn to the lucky wheel or the cafeteria. The lucky wheel featured questions about the writing process and the use of AI, and was especially popular thanks to the prizes on offer. These were provided by the Writing Assistance team and the library, equipping participants with pens, notepads, and keychains to get them through the night. In the cafeteria, a long table was filled with homemade or personally brought food.

Following registration and the welcome session, two of a total of 12 workshops began in the rooms on the ground floor. Opportunities for independent work were available on all other floors. The third floor, for example, offered the ideal environment for both collaboration and quiet concentration, with group workspaces and a designated quiet area.

This semester’s workshop program featured a diverse range of inputs on the writing process, the use of gender-inclusive language, working with AI tools, and practical tips on using writing tools like Word, Citavi, and Zotero. In addition to these thematic workshops, the Writing Assistance team also provided one-on-one consultations for students. These sessions allowed for addressing specific questions, discussing writing challenges, and developing targeted strategies. This way, participants not only received general input but also direct support tailored to their individual needs.

Beyond the content-focused workshops and individual consultations, the well-being of participants also played a central role. In cooperation with the Feel Good Campus, a "Healthy Break" was offered – a short but effective movement session designed to clear the mind and restore energy for the writing process. Another highlight was the nighttime walk across campus. In a relaxed atmosphere, participants were able to get some fresh air, connect with others, and gain new inspiration for their writing.

We would like to thank all contributors and participants for another successful Writing Night and look forward to seeing you again at the end of September 2025. We wish all participants continued success in their writing journeys!

Impressions of Writing Night on September 26, 2024

Finally, the Writing Night could take place on 26 September after it had to be postponed in March 2024 due to the precarious train situation!

The first of the 78 participants arrived at 3 pm at Zessko on Campus Neues Palais - prepared to keep writing until 11pm. People joined Writing Night from all different faculties, such as the Faculty of Human Sciences, the Faculty of Arts or the Faculty of Science. Responding to the high number of participants, the team of the Writing Assistance had prepared two silent writing rooms, as well as a room to relax and a large social writing room. There were also several other rooms with a varied offer of workshops. According to the motto “Everything can but nothing has to”, the participants had the freedom to focus on their individual writing projects or attend workshops with input about time management, citation and writing techniques or motivation and revisiting. The workshops were led not only by the team of the Writing Assistance but also by representatives from the University Library, ZIM and ZfQ. There was an especially high demand for the AI-workshop which was given by Dr. Anja Swidsinski. In addition to that, people could join a tour of the Media Center (Mediothek). All of that contributed to a feeling of productivity and an atmosphere that invited everyone to keep on  writing.

During the breaks, the team of the Feel Good Campus offered a moving and relaxing session but there was also the possibility to go for a relaxing night walk around campus with one member of the Writing Assistance. For those who preferred to stay indoors, the relaxation room provided a space to socialize with participants from other faculties, exchanging ideas about term papers, bachelor’s or master’s theses, and even dissertations. The team of the Writing Assistance was always available in case anyone needed advice and, if there was a more extensive question, also offered individual  writing assistance. Alongside inspiring conversations, of course there had to be good food which is why the participants prepared a buffet with all kinds of snacks for everyone.

As the team of the Writing Assistance we can say that we were positively surprised by the productive and open working atmosphere which contributed to everyone progressing with their projects and some even finishing them. It also was a good chance to make people aware of the varied programme of the Writing Assistance as we could read in the feedback.

We look forward to organizing more Writing Nights for you which will take place on the first Thursday in March and at the end of September.