ISSUE 09 • OCTOBER 2017
Lifestyle Magazine for the Students of Ipswich
Proud supporter of
Photo from Student Life IMAGE LIBRARY
STUDENT Life
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Editor’s
Hopefully by now you are settled back into school, college, sixth form or University and you are excited about the year ahead! It’s been great to meet with so many new students at the University of Suffolk as well as see many familiar faces. There’s an exciting buzz around Ipswich! During Freshers’ week, Student Life attended the Student Union’s Freshers Fair and had the opportunity to engage with students about the magazine and writing opportunities. I’m really excited to welcome new writers on board! In other news, we’ve recently launched our very own Snapchat account! Search: studentlifesc – give us a follow to keep updated! Best wishes, Rachel Gilbey Co-editor
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CONTACT US 01473 35 35 12 info@waterfrontlife.co www.waterfrontlife.co Snapchat : studentlifesc
Contents...
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Hi there....
STUDENT STYLE Fashion ............................................................................................................... 15 AUTUMN IS UPON US Trans-Seasonal Fashion Tips ...............................................16-17 MENTAL HEALTH SERIES Real Stories Of The First Visit To A GP .....................20-25 IPSWICH CHURCHES Three Choices For The Community ............................................26
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STUDENT Style
FASHION WRITTEN BY ROSIE MAY
Rosie is 18 years old and a former student at Kesgrave High School’s 6th Form. Rosie wanted to stay involved with Student Life, as she had been part of the first steering groups. Changing up from a summer wardrobe to a winter wardrobe can turn out to be pricey, especially on a student budget. There are many ways in which we can keep our summer clothes, but make them suitable for the winter season without having to completely purchase a whole new wardrobe. One trick that I frequently use towards the winter season is adding to summer outfits! Dresses, skirts, playsuits and shorts can all be turned into perfect winter outfits with a pair of tights and a jacket. If the winter season is even colder, I often opt for very thick tights and a pair of knee-high boots to keep my legs a little warmer. Another similar idea I love is with ripped jeans. Ripped jeans are a staple in my wardrobe all year round, however in the winter they can make my legs quite chilly. To fix this, I often pair them with some patterned tights underneath to look fashionable and keep warm! Adding long sleeve tops to outfits can turn just about any summery piece into a winter favourite. For example, adding a plain white long sleeved top to a plain black cami slip dress from the summer, can instantly
become a winter must-have. It looks fashionable, and adding some tights or knee high socks and Chelsea boots to it will give the perfect winter look. Lastly, choosing what time of year to purchase the next season’s clothes is essential when looking to save money. Many online shops and high street stores will have end-of-season sales. This is to get rid of summer stock and grab more attention to their website when the winter items start flooding in. Even though these sites are selling off their unwanted summer stock, there will still be winter items that you can purchase whilst making the most of the discount. For example; jeans, jackets, leggings and even jumpers. These will all still be available, and will be a lot cheaper than if you were looking to buy them in the later months!
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WITH FASHION EXPERT PAM DAVIS
AUTUMN IS UPON US The Fashionista term is Trans-Seasonal Dressing How do we tackle the cross-over from your Summer wardrobe to Autumn fashion? Trans-seasonal pieces are building blocks for the season ahead, the solid foundations for our everyday wardrobes. Transitioning into Autumn is always a thrill for us fashion girls. There’s a fresh crop of trends to shop and a bunch of new styling hacks we’ve pinned and are waiting to try. But, those days that see all four seasons in one, while we wait for the ultimate change in temperature, make getting dressed in the morning a nightmare. It’s too hot for a turtleneck but our dresses, skirts and shirts alone don’t provide enough coverage. There are a handful of pieces however, that make mastering the move into the cooler months much easier. Some you probably own already, some you may not.
WHAT ON EARTH DOES IT MEAN? AND HOW DO I DO IT? Tran-seasonal dressing is the shift from Summer towards Winter and back to Summer again. With the change in season, so your wardrobe must also adjust. However, the good news is that you don’t need an entirely new wardrobe every season. It’s all about learning how to get more bang for your buck with your current wardrobe. It’s about learning how to layer, which isn’t as difficult as you may think. It’s when you start to use staple wardrobe items to create style and warmth. Also when you add a lightweight jacket or change from light cotton cardigans to woollen versions and add a scarf, or when you change from sandals to shoes, boots and loafers. THE RULES There are a few general rules to follow if you want to get more wear out of your wardrobe, all the while maintaining your sense of style. Here are a few of my top tips for staying stylish at the turn of the season:
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COVER UP IN WINTER
If it’s cool enough for you to start covering up on top, then it’s also time to cover those tootsies. Nothing looks worse than sandals in the Winter. GET TO KNOW YOUR FABRICS
Whenever possible, look for natural fibres. They add a touch of quality and class to any wardrobe. Look for cotton, silk, linen, or wool. Just a touch of elastane is plenty to add movement and stretch, but wherever possible avoid polyesters and acrylics (you don’t want to wear plastic!). UNDERSTAND COLOUR
Ever noticed how dark it gets in Winter? And that’s not just because of our distance from the sun! Fashion colours also tend to darken in Winter. Why is that? Surely we could brighten up a little to lift ourselves out of the darker, colder weather. LEARN TO LAYER
It’s easily the most useful styling technique you’ll ever learn. It means you can still wear that Summer frock well into Autumn because you know what type of cardigan will work over it, or a tee could be worn under it. Try adding leggings under skirts, tunics and dresses as the weather cools.
NAILING THE LAYERED LOOK WITH CONFIDENCE:
There are tricks to layering that give you confidence and immediate style. Think proportion and balance. With layering you can instantly transform your Summer outfit for Autumn and Spring by adding or peeling off layers as the weather changes. ACCESSORIES
Colour can be an accessory too! Shoes, bags, belts, scarves can have much more impact. Remember, less is more. Using colour as an accessory can really bring your outfit to life. Pick a colour and repeat it twice. It can be the colour of a shoe, bag, belt, scarf, or tee-shirts. By repeating it twice you look put together, not thrown together! The options are endless and you’ll be wearing so much more of your wardrobe season in and season out! Be confident and embrace Autumn – it’s here for a few months! Pam x
GET IN TOUCH E: pamela@fashioncandy.co.uk M: 07713 095355 www.fashioncandy.co.uk
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MY Life
A BET TER STATE OF MIND The following article is written by a local Sixth Form student, who wanted to get involved with Student Life to try and help fellow students who are experiencing similar situations. It can be very difficult being a teenager and young adult in the 21st century, especially with the amount of academic and social pressures experienced today. So, here I have my top 4 tips for a better state of mind 1.EXERCISE – I suppose you’ve heard this one countless times but it really does benefit your mental wellbeing. It can be hard even to leave the house at times but once you do just that you will already feel a lot better. The effects of exercise on mental health have been scientifically proven – while exercising, your body releases a lot of endorphins which is our ‘feel-good’ chemical, resulting in a naturally better mood after exercise. 2. GRATITUDE – From my own experience, practising gratitude is a VERY helpful technique when trying to deal with your mental state. What really helps me, and a lot of people in fact, is to, in the morning - or at the end of the day - thinking about
all the things you are grateful for in your life. Perhaps write it down for a reminder throughout the day. It could be as simple as how nice the weather is, or how you’re grateful for all the people in your life. This method can really aid your happiness. 3. GO OUTDOORS – This sounds like a really simple concept, and it is. Nature and the outdoors really do boost your mental health. A study has shown that when going to the woods or just being amongst nature such as trees, heart rate and the levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) decreases. Some therapists actually use walks in the forest (forest therapy) to help treat various depressive disorders – obviously being a successful way to treat patients. 4. NEGATIVE PEOPLE – You may have some negative people/friends in your life which can be harmful to your state of mind. Maybe you can’t immediately identify these individuals but just try to think about whether they are genuinely good friends, or whether they seem to be blocking your happiness. They could always be criticising what you do/say or perhaps they get angry at you a lot. Whichever the situation, it’s very important that you try to cut these ‘friends’ out of your life. This could be by restricting your contact with them and seeking out more positive acquaintances.
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Exercise, Gratitude, Fresh Air & Negative People WRITTEN BY CAROLE THAIN There is often a feeling of sadness as we come to the end of the summer season and are faced with less sunshine and fewer daylight hours. In the main, we feel more cheerful when the sun is shining and perhaps even more energetic. During winter, it is often tempting to eat and sleep more and even socialise less and this is quite natural. For people that are affected by seasonal affective disorder; feelings of low mood and other symptoms can be quite severe. So how can we protect our wellbeing at this time of the year? Someone recently commented that there were no windows in an office that they had once worked in, this makes it even more important in winter to get outside to experience some natural light in the day. In Ipswich, the garden at Quay Place is a beautiful space just to come and sit and relax on a bright autumn day. Perhaps
take a proper break one lunchtime and come and discover a little haven in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the busy Waterfront area. You could even volunteer and help to keep the garden looking at its best if you enjoy being more active. We know that exercise, whatever form that may take, is good for us. Gardeners will tell you being outside in the fresh air is great for your physical and mental wellbeing – at Suffolk Mind we call this Ecotherapy. Our allotment projects offer the opportunity to be out in the fresh air and have some exercise; whether it’s gentle weeding, or potting, or digging over the plot, and there is even an opportunity to socialise and feel part of a team - all working together to achieve something that so many others can enjoy. Autumn and Winter can have much to offer with lots to look forward to. If you know someone who is affected by the change of the seasons and is, perhaps, more irritable, more negative and less interested in doing things, it can be difficult to know what to do to support them. Patience, kindness and just being there can help; also being sensitive about not making too many demands on them. Having a life that works is good for our wellbeing all year round, but at this time of the year, we may need to look after ourselves a little bit more. So be kind to yourself as well as to others. For more info about having a life that works visit suffolkmind.org.uk
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H T L A E H L MENTA Real-life
e to discuss mental
a GP for the first tim accounts of visiting
The following stories all recount the authors’ experiences of seeing their GP for the first time, to discuss a mental health issue. The stories range from almost 30 years ago, to current day...
“I CAN RULE OUT CANCER!” WRITTEN BY LOCAL AUTHOR JON STEVENSON Cancer! I hadn’t even contemplated that I might have cancer and trust me, I was worrying about everything in April 1990. I had been suffering with a mixture of episodes of major panic, irrational thoughts & fears and carrying out repeated actions, since I could remember and particularly since I was 13 years old. I was now 22 and had decided, after a huge amount of agonising and of course, dealing with major related anxiety, that I would call my doctor and for the first time, speak to an independent person - a professional – about my mental health. 27 years ago, I couldn’t bring myself to say the actual word mental for fear that by verbalising it, I was somehow giving credence to my thoughts surrounding the imminent appearance of men in white coats. This was not aided by the media of the time and nor by filmmakers’ portrayal of anything to do with mental health. So, sitting in the waiting room, my OCD
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health
ensuring that I re-read all of the wall posters, I did what was expected of me and ‘waited’. Out came the doctor – no fancy LCD displays or bleeps in 1990 – and I sat down in his room and explained just how long I had been feeling the way that I did. I remember 2 main parts of this meeting; my GP’s blank expression as I tried, unsuccessfully, to unburden myself and his initial surmise that I had been suffering too long for my symptoms to be cancer related. To this day, I am still unsure as to which of my symptoms may have sparked fear into Doc, had I been suffering for say a year!? My 10-minute time allocation finished with an almost complete lack of medical understanding and a casual referral to a self-help group which met to “meditate” at a local sports centre. I attended the sports centre once, before returning to my own self-help journey. A decision which was right at the time… but oh how I wish that the professionals & understanding available now, were available then.
“IT HAD BECOME ALMOST OUT OF CONTROL” WRITTEN BY LEANNE ARNOLD
Leanne is 25 years old and is studying BSc Hons Mental Health Nursing at the University of Suffolk. Leanne decided to get involved with • WAT ERF RO N T L I FE
. .. P G R U O Y G & VISITIN Student life as she believes it is a great platform for creating mental health awareness. It was December 2015 and as I picked the phone up to ring the doctors I felt ok, it wasn’t real yet was it? To be honest I think I kind of categorised my emotions as insignificant as I knew I had that “safetynet” of not having to actually turn up to the appointment. I had just rung the doctors to book an appointment with my GP for feelings of sickness, dizziness, and disassociation; my personal manifestation of anxiety. I had been experiencing this for several weeks now and had decided that I really should address the situation. Honestly? It had become almost out of control. As I was making my way to the GP I still had this blasé attitude about the appointment, I guess I was still feeling in control. However, as I approached the entrance to the building I began to feel a slight prick of the already felt nausea. Waiting. Yes, waiting. On reflection, this was possibly one of the hardest parts, sitting with all these silly thoughts racing through your head. Gosh, if I had sat there much longer I probably would have convinced and diagnosed myself with a nasty disease. My palms had begun to perspire and the nausea increased, I was starting to feel quite nervous about the whole situation. “Leanne Arnold”. Well, there it is, they have called my name now; I guess there is no
going back. Once seated in the doctors’ room, and after the initial introductions, the doctor asked me what he could help with. At first, I felt a bit daft, ‘oh maybe I just have a bug, I’m probably overreacting’. But once I had started to offer the doctor insights into the rationale for the appointment the conversation began to flow smoothly. The doctor asked me questions which allowed me to explain in-depth how I had been feeling, he asked me how things had been besides this, and, actually made me feel at ease. Heck, once I had started I couldn’t stop, all the different little issues and struggles rolling off my tongue as if I was speaking to myself in the mirror. It felt good, you know. It felt great to get off my chest all the worries, issues, struggles, and little things that had been niggling at me for so long. Once I had finally stopped for breath and the doctor was able to interject he relayed what I had said as in confirmation, you know, to make sure he had understood everything correctly. Then we were able to discuss the different options available to me. The doctor explained that he thought I was suffering from anxiety, and for this I was able to do a few things. One was a referral to the practice’s mental health nurse, and the other was signposting to a fantastic self-help website. The doctor made the appointment to see the mental health nurse the following week and jotted down the website and wished me a good day. Walking home I already felt slightly (CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE...)
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(CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE...)
reassured that I hadn’t imagined the way I had been feeling. The doctor had listened, evaluated, understood, and offered me a diagnosis. I had also left with a plan of action in place, the self-help website proved extremely useful, and is something which I still use to this day!
help you usually feel a lot more reassured, and usually are offered signposting to the right support for you. For me, I can truly say that the GP appointment was life changing. Once you tackle that first obstacle, the difficulty does subside. Oh and remember, it is ok to feel unwell, and you will start to feel better soon!
The following articles are written by Sixth Form students, who wanted to get involved with Student Life to try and help fellow students who are experiencing similar situations.
Once I had seen the mental health nurse, I left feeling even more satisfied and, you’ll be glad to hear, a lot less anxious! It took time, effort, and dedication, but working alongside the mental health nurse and investing time into the selfhelp techniques, I slowly began to feel less anxious and more confident in different situations.
“ADDED TO THE WAITING LIST”
I, one hundred percent, found that by accessing the GP I benefitted. The service I received was fantastic and I was understood and valued. I finally stopped feeling silly. I was unwell, and that was ok, and the doctor and mental health nurse helped me through it. Although that initial action may prove difficult, or if you’re like me, attending the appointment and opening up may be difficult. But once you allow yourself to reach out for advice and
MENT AL HE
Getting help for the first time is one of the most important, but nerve-racking, things to do. So many emotions can be experienced as sometimes, it’s the first time you’ve ever shared what’s been on your mind to someone. But, tackling problems earlier on can help prevent issues from escalating at a later date. There are several ways to seek help if you are suffering from mental health issues, such as, charities like Suffolk Mind or 4YP, counsellors or several helplines. Another way is going to your local GP, which is perhaps the one that sounds the most
ALTH
SERIE
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daunting to some people. I myself sought help through a doctor when I was 16. On the build-up to the appointment I did feel very nervous but I tried to tell myself that it was an important step to take and would lead to me eventually getting better. I also felt a hint of embarrassment talking about how I felt, especially how there is still (wrongly) a stigma around mental health. This is quite a common feeling and I felt this way because of how there wasn’t a particular trigger to my anxiety/depression, it just manifested itself suddenly and because there wasn’t an actual reason, I felt like what I was feeling was silly/wrong. However, it definitely isn’t and there can be many reasons as to why anyone suffers from mental health problems, sometimes it’s biological. The experience talking to the doctor itself wasn’t bad, he was in fact very understanding and I didn’t feel judged at all. He started with a kind of initial assessment, asking about my mood/ thoughts, my sleeping patterns and asked to me to complete a questionnaire which was depression/anxiety based. However, the outcome wasn’t completely what I had hoped for. My doctor said the waiting list to see a psychiatrist/counsellor (on the NHS) would be around 6 months, even if he referred me straight away; as so many people were in the same boat as me (which is something to keep in mind if you are ever feeling alone with your mental health). That was simply too long, and he suggested to go to a private counsellor, which I did, but
of course is not always an ideal situation for people with financial difficulties. After having counselling for a few months, I returned to the doctor in the hope of getting help from a psychiatrist. Unfortunately, a very similar response was given, so I ended up going to a private psychiatrist. Again, it was quite expensive but they did offer the help I really needed in order to progress. If you are in fulltime education, I would definitely suggest speaking to a member of staff about the counselling that they offer, whether you are at school, college or university. This way you don’t have to wait (as long) for an NHS counsellor. Of course, you can also go to your doctor alongside having counselling to see whether they can refer you to psychiatrist if that’s needed. Once in the appointment with your doctor, I would advise that you really make yourself heard. A lot of young people do suffer from mental health problems but if you are concerned you could be in danger, for example, really explain how you feel and try not to leave until you’ve made your point clear and the doctor has taken some kind of action, such as a referral, or perhaps medication if you are over 18.
“WORRIED I WASN’T GOING TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY” After around a year of suffering with anxiety, I decided to visit my GP for some professional advice. Preparing for this visit was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done; the explaining of my problems (CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE...)
L STORIES
R : REA VISITING A DOCTO
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MENTAL HEALTH SERIES... to an outsider was particularly threatening. Someone who didn’t know anything about what was going on had to be brought up to speed in just minutes! I was feeling apprehensive about having to explain all of the symptoms I’m feeling with examples; I was worried that I wasn’t going to be taken seriously or be believed unless I backed up what I was explaining with situations where the feelings cropped up. Don’t get me wrong, I was well aware that I was taking positive steps towards a better mental state! The fact they’re a professional was what scared me. I booked an appointment by phone – thankfully I was able to use a computerised system rather than having to speak to someone about it! After about two minutes, the computer voice confirmed the time of my appointment. I’d taken the biggest step, since I’d committed to the appointment it was all destined to get easier from now. Thankfully there wasn’t much of a build-up to the appointment, as it was scheduled two days in the future. I was mostly able to get on with life up until the appointment, I just had the reassuring comfort that things were soon going to (hopefully) get better. After a reasonably pleasant couple of days, the moment finally came. When my dad drove me to the doctor’s surgery, the drive was silent. I feared speaking in case any conversation would put me off from the perfect interaction I had planned out in my head. From that point onward, it was a waiting game. I signed in on the tablet in the reception area, and sat anticipating the beep that would give me permission to enter the office. Minutes felt like hours. I shivered in my seat in waiting. Then it came. A beep, and a message on the screen pulled me out of my seat and into the office. I was invited in by the 24 doctor. MyTOBER dad 2017 • OC
entered the room first, sitting in the corner of the room in a chair. I sat next to the desk: “How can I help you today?” the doctor asked. I had rehearsed my script, so I started to reel off my feelings to him at double speed. He nodded, listened, asked me the odd question to better pull together a story, and above all took notice of what I was telling him. He gave me a wonderful feeling; the feeling that he cared. My dad, despite the fact he was sat in the corner of the room listening to my words without a comment, really helped. The fact I had reassurance in the room with me in the form of a supportive family member put me slightly at ease. In addition, this doctor had been my family doctor for the best part of a decade, so I felt more comfortable with him than I would another doctor. After explaining my anxiety, how it had made me feel and how it affected me, my signs and symptoms, and every example of where and when it had struck me down in the last year or so, I felt a weight off my shoulders. I thought I would have broken down and cried, but I felt stronger. The doctor hadn’t yet provided a resolution! The fact that I was strong enough to tell a stranger that I was struggling made me feel powerful. The doctor read through his notes, told me what conclusions he had drawn, and considered possible options with me. He suggested medication, but then decided against it because of the potential side effects and implications that come with it. He then referred me to Suffolk Wellbeing, an NHS organisation whose aim is to provide mental health support and guidance through seminars, webinars, group and 1-1 support. To this day, I haven’t followed through with the support; I didn’t feel the programme • like WAT ERF RO N T L I FEthat was offered (a Stress
Real-life accounts of visiting a GP for the first time to discuss mental health
Control seminar) was really my cup of tea. Don’t be worried about visiting the doctor about your mental health – it may seem scary as a concept, but they are genuinely willing and able to help you.
which are impacting on our daily life. Give some thought beforehand as to what you might say, and what words you will use to describe how you feel, and always be honest and open to make sure you get the right support and help at the onset.
WRITTEN BY CAROLE THAIN
At Suffolk Mind, we talk a lot about emotional needs and how important it is to meet them. Physical or mental needs that are unmet can make us unwell, so learning more about these needs and what we can do to meet them, can be a big step towards having a life that works. If you would like to know more about emotional needs, we have some interesting talks and activities at Quay Place in Ipswich, we also offer a counselling service.
If we feel unwell, our GP is often the first place to think of going, whatever the problem and we would certainly recommend this. Although tempting to self diagnose by searching online for answers and information, and sometimes this can be useful, more often than not this causes additional concerns. Perhaps even making us feel worse as we find different and alarming answers to our questions. Making the decision to talk about physical or mental health problems can be really difficult, so that first conversation with your GP may not always be easy. It is though important to have the right advice when experiencing any symptoms that we have concerns or worries about, or if we are having feelings that are difficult to cope with
For more info sign up for our monthly newsletter at quayplace.co.uk or pop in and pick up a leaflet. For Suffolk Mind services visit suffolkmind.co.uk
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WATERFRONT Churches
WRITTEN BY REV. TOM ROUT
THREE CHOICES FOR THE COMMUNITY... Tom Rout is vicar of the Ipswich Waterfront Churches (St Helen’s, Holy Trinity and St Luke’s) and Anglican Chaplain to the University of Suffolk and Suffolk New College. He is married to Nicola and father of 3 young children. T.E.A.M. - ‘Together Everyone Achieves More’. It’s an acronym or mnemonic that sums up well the approach our Waterfront Churches are taking to the future of their ministry in this wonderful part of Town. Up until 1999 St Helen’s, Holy Trinity and St Luke’s were three separate churches, each with its own minister. Then in 1999 the churches were linked up as a benefice with one minister serving three congregations. The question we are asking ourselves now is, how can we be most effective - both today, and into the future. Is it as three smaller congregations, each with loyalties to its building, history and activities… or is it as a unified and larger church family, with three buildings at our disposal, working together on services and activities that will connect with the people of the Waterfront area and the parishes (zones) associated with it?
It may seem strange to many residents that we only have a service in one of our churches each Sunday, and that the venue changes every week. Doesn’t this mean that two out of the three church buildings are closed and unused on any given Sunday? The thinking behind it is that our congregations already share a common calling and purpose (to bring the good news of Jesus to the communities around us) and worshipping together on Sundays brings that home to us. It builds a sense of togetherness which is vital if we are going to engage in a meaningful way with local people. Our aim is not just to keep buildings open on Sundays, but to ensure what goes on in them - and comes out of them - is a real blessing to this area. As for the long term - who knows? But one thing’s for sure: T.E.A.M. To find out where our service is on any given Sunday, please visit: www. ipswichwaterfrontchurches.co.uk or Facebook Waterfront Churches Ipswich Public Page
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