YOU’VE GOT YOUR OFFER, NOW YOU CAN RELAX
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THE VALUE OF YOU Feelings of wellbeing are fundamental to your overall health, enabling you to successfully overcome difficulties, achieve your full potential in life and get the most out of your journey. We all respond differently to stress and situations in our life, whether or not we think of them as positive or negative experiences. Being aware of how we feel and react can help us navigate the world and identify things we can do to encourage positive health and wellbeing. We provide a connected community to support you with this.
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SIX STEPS TO POSITIVE HEALTH AND WELLBEING 1
KEEP LEARNING
Ignite your curiosity and give something new a go. University is a great place to try out new things, like joining a club or society, or signing up for a careers session to improve your CV.
Discover more about these steps at
mind.org.uk
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BE ACTIVE
Being active has been shown to help reduce stress, anxiety and to lift moods. It can also help to boost selfesteem and can encourage clear and calm thinking. The Students’ Union provide sports activities and a sport buddy scheme to tackle isolation and mental health issues at university.
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TAKE NOTICE
Taking notice means to focus your attention upon yourself and the world around you, both the external factors that influence your life and how they affect you internally.
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FOOD + MOOD
Food fuels you throughout the day, providing the nutrients to keep your body happy and healthy. But it’s also there to be enjoyed and lift your mood. Giving yourself a treat from time to time is perfect for a healthy body and mind. Read tips from our student bloggers at uos.ac.uk/lifeatsuffolk
WELLBEING CAN BE UNDERSTOOD AS HOW PEOPLE FEEL AND HOW THEY FUNCTION, BOTH ON A PERSONAL AND SOCIAL LEVEL, AND HOW THEY EVALUATE THEIR LIVES AS A WHOLE. mentalhealth.org.uk
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CONNECT
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GIVE TO OTHERS
As a social being you naturally require a level of interaction with others. The relationships you create and nurture in life provide social bonds that can give you a sense of purpose and belonging.
Giving can strengthen existing relationships and can help to foster a more positive outlook. Think about becoming a mentor to network and support other students here at Suffolk. Find out more at uos.ac.uk/slms
WE’RE HERE WHEN YOU NEED US STUDENT LIFE
At the University of Suffolk, we recognise the importance of being here if you need us. We offer a range of information, advice and guidance services to students. The experienced team are committed to offering a free, confidential, impartial service, which meets the needs of the student community and is on hand to provide one-to-one advice and guidance. The team conforms to professional standards and is committed to a rapid response for all students. The Student Life Department hold a wide variety of specialist events throughout the academic year, such as workshops, employer talks and fairs.
Some of our services include...
COUNSELLING SERVICE
DISABILITY + WELLBEING
Independent, impartial and professional counselling is available to all students. This support is confidential, enabling you to discuss any problems you may have.
Our team of advisors can help provide advice and support in relation to disabled students’ allowances, tailored support, diagnostic assessment and much more.
STUDY SKILLS SUPPORT
CAREERS + EMPLOYABILITY
Qualified and experienced librarians and advisors provide friendly, informal and accessible advice and support. Find support at libguides.uos.ac.uk
We hold career fairs, workshops and presentations throughout the year and offer one-to-one support for preparing for life after university.
Find out more uos.ac.uk/studentservices
AYLA SCREENWRITING AND FILM STUDIES STUDENT During my three years at University, the support services I have accessed have been invaluable to me, helping me to reach my full potential. When I was in my first year, I found the transition between sixth-form and university unsettling because there is so much to take in. Accessing the University’s support services was immensely beneficial and is probably one of the best decisions I have made during my time here. Not only were my worries and fears taken seriously, the
wellbeing team helped me to devise strategies for managing this alongside my studies. It has helped me to grow as a person and gain so much more confidence in myself and my academic abilities. Everyone on the team is extremely friendly and approachable. They always make you feel that your worries and problems are valid and always have a solution to them. No problem is too big or small.
GRACE HISTORY STUDENT When arranging to start at University, I received support to ensure I started my studies with as little stress as possible. The support that I have received at University has been invaluable to me. All parties involved in arranging it have worked hard to put a number of measures in place, from ensuring that my family and I always know exactly
what I am entitled to, to making sure that I can complete my degree with as little stress as possible. I would suggest going into the experience knowing as much as possible about what you want from your support, and why you want it.
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OUR O SUPPORT NOT ONLY WERE MY WORRIES AND FEARS TAKEN SERIOUSLY THE WELLBEING TEAM HELPED ME TO DEVISE STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING THIS ALONGSIDE MY STUDIES.
SUFFOLK LIFE MENTORS The Suffolk Life Mentor Scheme gives you access to support from student volunteers throughout your journey with us. As a student, you can request a peer mentor at any point during your first year. When you apply, you will provide basic details about yourself and we use this to match you with a mentor. We try to match you with a mentor who is doing the same or similar course to you, and perhaps shares your interests. Your mentor will contact you to set up an initial meeting. The expectation is to meet twice per calendar month for 30-60 minutes. There will also be the chance to meet other mentees once a month. The mentors also organise activities, which are open to all students and staff. We encourage you to attend these activities, to meet new people, socialise and learn new skills. Feel free to bring classmates from your course along.
Find out more uos.ac.uk/slms
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