FRESHERS FUN by Sophie Brown

Ex-student Sophie Brown offers freshers tips.

It’s finally here. That moment you’ve worked for your whole academic life. The start of university. The beginning of your potential career.

University life can be overwhelming to say the least. It’s probably the first time you’re doing something completely alone. No childhood friends by your side or parents on hand to guide you through every day; it’s a scary thought. But it’s also an exciting moment. It’s your time to shine, to enjoy, to make new friends, to take up new hobbies, to truly come into your own.

Give yourself days off – guilt free – no-one expects you to work like a robot.

Book that event you’ve been dying to go to, you don’t need to be working 24/7 and missing out on social opportunities to get the best grades.

Give yourself time to find your feet and take the pressure off – you’ll get to where you want to be.

Be as sociable as you can – most new students, if not all, are looking to make new friends, so put yourself out there, join some clubs, and don’t be afraid to talk to new people. Who knows, you could make some lifelong friends.

Just enjoy the moment – be as present as you can.

Try to remember, while university can be the best years of your life, the pressure of your workload can flare up on occasions, and it’s totally normal to feel a little anxious.

Take time out, reset, maybe reach out to support within your university, or if you need additional support, Mersey Care has services that can help you.

Good luck, you’ve got this!

NEED HELP?

Contact your local mental health services.

National Union of Students: nus.org.uk

Your university website will have freshers information.

SIX THINGS EVERY FRESHER SHOULD KNOW

• KNOW YOUR BANK BALANCE Being aware of how much you spend will go a long way to learning to buget

• YOU CAN CREATE YOUR OWN SOCIETY Don’t fancy any of the societies, start your own!

• IT’S PERFECTLY NORMAL TO FEEL HOMESICK Moving away from family and friends is a shock for everyone. Remember it’ll soon feel like home

• ALWAYS ASK IF THERE’S A STUDENT DISCOUNT Make the most of student discounts and freebies. Your student card could get you 10% off!

• REMEMBER TO ENROL This may seem absurd, but after the chaos of freshers events you may want to keep an eye on actually letting your uni know you’ve arrived

• YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO A BURSARY. Check with your university once you arrive.

Source: theuniguide.co.uk

STUDENT SUPPORT

With looming deadlines and heavy workloads, it’s not abnormal for university students to be anxious and stressed from time to time. In fact, the shared struggle is sometimes what bonds us to our classmates even more.

But how do we know when to step in? How do we know when it’s time to take action? How do we know when someone is suicidal?

The Samaritans report that ‘suicide is the biggest killer of 16 to 24 year old people’ (Samaritans, 2019) and only 1 in 4 (who take their own life) had been in contact with mental health services (Office for Students, 2021). These heart wrenching facts are what motivated The Zero Suicide Alliance to work alongside students to produce a specially tailored module, helping young people to spot the signs and reach out to those who they suspect may be suicidal. They have one simple belief – that suicide is preventable.

The 20 minute module offers a better understanding of suicidal behaviours and encourages students to spot the signs, ask outright ‘are you suicidal or are you considering taking your own life’, and provides signposting support.

Nujhat, Student Content Creator, talks of her involvement in this ‘invaluable experience’: ‘It definitely makes me happy knowing we are able to reach so many students across the UK that will benefit from this project. I would definitely encourage anyone struggling with mental health to reach out and seek help whenever and wherever possible. You are not alone in this, you are wanted and loved and you deserve to be helped.”

Take the training, give yourself the skills to save someone’s life.

FIND OUT MORE

Zero Suicide Alliance: zerosuicidealliance.com

Mind: mind.org.uk

Feeling Anxious? Talk to us

Need help with stress, anxiety or depression? Talk Liverpool can help.

You can refer yourself online by visiting talkliverpool.nhs.uk or calling 0151 228 2300, alternatively you can be referred by your GP or another health professional.