Free Hugs is all about embracing strangers in public, a simple action that seeks to reduce the loneliness of everyday life. This movement aims to make people happy and make their day different, promoting social integration.

Classes had started barely a month ago, but we know it's not always easy being away from home with a mountain of work on one side and exams lurking on the other. Some get a little more distracted, a little discouraged. Were we supposed to stand by and watch this happen? We only cross our arms on someone else's back. Look, hugs are good, but I don't think they would have been enough here. Now, if an empty stomach has no ears (and we want students to pay attention in class), and it is in the stomach that happiness begins (and we want happy people), there is only one solution: chocolate.

With this in mind, on October 14th, we were giving considerable amounts of hugs accompanied by hundreds of GoPeanuts Peanut Chocolates, made by Regina. From ESSUA to the Department of Languages, we met very different people, the shyer and the more outgoing ones who came to us as soon as they saw us. People of different ages and different nationalities. Did you know that the University of Aveiro is made up of students from over 80 nationalities? They all like chocolate. Fact.

At the end of the day, we are sure that we have somewhat changed the world and the lives of the people we came across. We left that extra energy boost that was missing to conquer this semester. And of course, our day got better too!