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Whilst at university, it is important to look after your mind and body, and taking small steps can have a big impact in helping you find balance between your studies and wellbeing.
Specific wellbeing issues
The听resources here can be used by you or anyone you know that has been affected by one or more of the situations听below.
- Bereavement
Bereavement sometimes also referred to as grief, is a term used to describe the sense of loss felt when someone close to us or who we care about dies. It can be difficult and stressful and nearly everybody goes through it at some point in their lives.鈥�
You may feel depressed, angry, empty, or you may be concerned because you don鈥檛 seem to be feeling anything at all.听Everyone experiences grief differently and there is no 'normal' or 'right' way to grieve. How we react will be influenced by many different things, including our age and personality, our cultural background and religious beliefs, our previous experiences of bereavement, our circumstances and how we cope with loss.鈥��
Sources of support and advice听
If you think you need help, UCL is here to support you. Our counsellors can support students who have experienced bereavement and work closely with bereavement organisations in the area.听We encourage you to听get in touch with us and access our services.听
Explore other online resources and apps for bereavement support, including short courses.听
Find further reading material about support for bereavement in the online self-help library.
- Guide for students affected by the sudden death of a听peer听
If you experience the sudden loss of a friend or other peer at 皇家华人, this guide provides information on the steps that need to be taken by UCL and the听authorities, and听outlines the support services available to you here and elsewhere.听
Read our鈥痝uide for students affected by the sudden death of a peer.听- UCL Chaplain and Interfaith Adviser听
The听Rev'd Reid Humble, the UCL Chaplain and Interfaith Adviser, is available to provide pastoral support to all students affected by bereavement, whether you identify with a faith group or not.听
Email鈥疪eid听to arrange a support session on chaplaincy@ucl.ac.uk.鈥�听- Sexual misconduct, domestic violence, bullying, harassment and hate crime听
In听an emergency, if you witness or experience a crime on campus, call UCL Security available 24/7 on鈥�+44 (0)20 7679 2222鈥痮谤鈥�222鈥痜rom鈥痑ny UCL phone.鈥�
If you are off campus, call police immediately on听999 (or local equivalent if overseas).听
In non-urgent cases, you can contact 皇家华人鈥檚鈥疌rime Prevention and Personal Safety Advisor, Darren Watts.听
If you鈥檝e experienced harassment, violence or abuse, remember that it鈥檚 never your fault, and UCL is here to support you. We have a wide range of comprehensive support services available, should you need it, including support from external organisations.听If you think you need help,听our team of mental health and wellbeing advisers are听here听to listen, and we encourage you to get in touch with us听and book a same-day appointment.听
Discover apps and further online resources, including Report + Support.
Advice, information and support听
Report + Support听
If you鈥檝e witnessed or experienced harassment, discrimination or sexual misconduct, you听can听.听You can also find information and resources about support available here.听
If you are comfortable with providing more details about the incident and your contact details, you will receive a follow-up and will be guided to access further support听from听 advisers, who can:听听
- talk through UCL's听procedures听
- inform you on how to make a听complaint听
- let you know what support is听available听
For advice and support on filling out these reports, you can听contact听.听
You can also get in touch with the鈥�, who leads campaigns to support women students across the university, and can also advocate on your behalf.
Report a hate crime or hate incident
If you or another UCL student is a听victim of a hate crime or hate incident, please report it through Students' Union UCL.听Whether or not you want to give your details is completely up to you, and if you听leave your contact details, they will remain confidential within the confines of the Advice Service.
- Self-harm听听
If鈥痽ou or someone听else is听experiencing a mental crisis and are听at听immediate risk of harming yourself鈥�(or someone else),听call鈥�999鈥痠n an emergency. An ambulance will be able to bring you directly to the Accident & Emergency (A&E) department of your local hospital to get urgent help.听听
听has the nearest A&E department to UCL鈥檚 main campus..听
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If you听are in need of听urgent mental health support, call NHS 111 to be put through to your local crisis team.听
Self-harm is听intentionally hurting yourself and is often done in private. Self-harm may include听scratching, cutting, overdosing on medication,听biting听or burning听oneself. Self-harm isn鈥檛 a mental illness, but it is often linked to mental distress, including suicidal thoughts.鈥�
Self-harm is sometimes used as a short-term way to manage听overwhelming feelings and emotions; it鈥痠s not a long-term solution听and often treatment is required.鈥痀ou might feel that you are the only one who self-harms. You might feel like people close to you won鈥檛 understand. But there are ways to reach out to people to ask for help.鈥�
Your recovery听
Sharing your experiences can help your recovery.听Whatever you may be going through, the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team is here to support you and we encourage you to get in touch with us to book a same-day appointment with our dedicated team of Mental Health and Wellbeing advisers.听听
We recommend that you go to see your doctor as soon as possible. If you鈥檙e anxious about telling your doctor, your friends and family may be able to support you.听
If you'd like to speak to someone about how you're feeling, you can contact an adviser via the UCL 24/7 Student Support Line on听+44 (0) 808 238 0077. The UCL Student Support Line is a free, confidential wellbeing support services, offered in 35+ languages including sign, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.听
Find out what specialist support services are available to you to help you in your recovery.听
- Suicidal thoughts听
If鈥痽ou or someone听else is听experiencing a mental crisis and are听at听immediate risk of harming yourself鈥�(or someone else),听call鈥�999鈥痠n an emergency. An ambulance will be able to bring you directly to the Accident & Emergency (A&E) department of your local hospital to get urgent help.听听
Call听999听to request an ambulance if you are unable to reach the hospital yourself.听
.听
If you听are in need of听urgent mental health support, call NHS 111 to be put through to your local crisis team.
Download a safety plan template (PDF 250KB)听
Thoughts of suicide are common. Many adults will experience suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives. The feelings that drive suicide are often temporary and situation-specific, for instance, a stressful event associated with feelings of loss can trigger suicidal thoughts.听
If you are going through a difficult period, you may feel isolated and disconnected from your personal support networks. You may also worry about the reaction and impact on those close to you if you share thoughts of suicide. It may feel awkward to start a conversation and there isn鈥檛 a right or wrong way to talk about suicidal feelings.听
Talk to听someone听
Starting the conversation is what鈥檚 important.听You may want to talk to a trusted family member, a friend, a colleague, a staff member in your department or hall of residence,听UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, your GP, or听an external听organisation听dedicated to supporting people experiencing suicidal feelings.听听
Our Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing听advisers have a wealth of experience and skills including Mental Health First Aid and suicide prevention training. They will listen to you and seek to understand how you are feeling. We encourage you to book an appointment with us.
Our team can help you identify and access therapeutic and/or medical support, suggest adjustments to study and agree a safety plan with you. A safety plan is a听personalised听plan to support you step by step during periods when you're feeling suicidal (link above).听
It is important to remember that people care and will want to help.听Professional support is听available听and it is easy to access.听
Access further support from external organisations who specialise in suicide prevention.
Look after听yourself听
There are听a number of听ways you can look after yourself if you are feeling suicidal.
- Firstly, you can save emergency phone numbers and听what to do when you are feeling suicidal in a safety plan (link above). It can be helpful to complete the safety plan together with one of our Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing Advisers at a听drop-in session or appointment.听
- Try to be around friends or family if you can. If this is not possible, aim to get to a safe place and call them.听
- You may also choose to call a helpline, such as one of those listed above, for support. Most of these are available out of hours.听听
- Try to not consume drugs or alcohol - these can have a substantial negative effect on mental health and wellbeing.
- Do things you enjoy, such as listening to music, exercising, or watching a听favourite听TV show in order to distract yourself and take your mind off your thoughts.听听听
More resources that may help if you're feeling suicidal, including awareness training.
Looking after yourself
These health and wellbeing resources are here to help you make the most of your time during university and beyond.听
Check out our online self-help library for resources on self-care and positive mindset.
- Exercise
Finding a physical activity that you enjoy听can improve your mood, boost energy and reduce stress.听There are lots of great ways to keep active at 皇家华人, in London and at home.
Project Active听听
Run by the Students' Union UCL, Project Active is about feeling empowered and having fun, but most of all enjoying being active in听whatever听way听works听for听you! While sport isn鈥檛 for everyone, embracing an active lifestyle can not only help you feel physically stronger and fitter,听it听can also improve your mental wellbeing and resilience.听You听don鈥檛 have to be competitive to be听active. Offers weekly听exercise classes听open to all UCL students and staff.听 All our online classes are free for Term 2.听
All our classes are beginner friendly and open to all fitness levels,听so it doesn鈥檛 matter if you鈥檝e never done one before!听All you need is a good听internet connection and somewhere to听move/stretch听out.听听 Includes yoga,听pilates, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), dance and more.听
听
Bloomsbury Fitness听
Bloomsbury Fitness is UCL's on-campus gym open to all UCL students and staff. Members benefit from: free classes, a听90 piece听fitness suite, a听free-weight section, disabled access and accessible gym equipment, massage therapists,听personal trainers,听Life Fitness cardio-vascular equipment, internet enabled smart machines, Netflix, squash courts, and free inductions tailored to your specific needs.听
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Keep moving with听UCLcares听
Read our blog to get top tips on fun and easy ways to get active and maintain a healthy lifestyle.听
- Mindfulness and meditation
Mindfulness is a technique that helps with preventing and alleviating many common mental health problems. It can be hard to keep up with the demands of study, work and the fast pace of living in London. Mindfulness has been scientifically proven to reduce stress, increase focus and overall feelings of happiness and wellbeing.听Practising听mindfulness can be as simple as taking a few minutes a day to take notice of your senses, feelings and thoughts. It can easily be incorporated into daily life.
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Explore the online self-help library for further reading material about mindfulness.
Find out about external support available to you to practise mindfulness.
Discover digital and app resources to help you on your mindfulness journey.听- Sleep problems
Sleep problems are very common and are often referred to as insomnia. There is no 鈥渞ight鈥� amount of sleep as this varies between people depending on their age. It can be distressing when you feeling you鈥檙e not getting enough sleep at night, which in turn can make it harder to fall asleep in the first place.听The most common sleep problems听include:听getting to sleep; staying asleep; waking too early; poor quality sleep; sleeping too much but still feeling tired.听
Sleep problems听can occur for several reasons: emotional reasons, such as bereavement or a break-up; unhelpful surroundings, such as being too hot or cold; disrupted sleep routines, such as doing听shift-work.听
Not getting enough sleep can seriously impact your ability to study. Getting stressed about it makes the situation worse. Find out how to break that vicious circle听with support available below.听
Check out further information and advice from external听organisations听to help you with sleep.听
Explore the online self-help library for reading material on insomnia and sleep problems.听
- Stress and resilience
Stress is what we feel when we are under pressure. It鈥檚 a completely normal response which we all experience from time to time and is our body鈥檚 reaction to feeling under听threat;听the fight or flight response. It is not dangerous. In fact, a certain amount of pressure can be quite helpful and motivating. If we have too much pressure for too long, we run the risk of a more severe stress reaction. This can be quite unpleasant in the short term, but also if stress continues and is not managed, can be听really bad听for our health. Common signs and symptoms of stress:听
- Feeling overwhelmed听听
- Feelings of guilt and low self-esteem听听
- Poor concentration and memory
- Blurred vision, tired eyes听听
- Feeling sick, dizzy and faint
During your time at university,听you might be snappy with your听flat mates听or peers, drinking or smoking more than usual, over or undereating, withdrawing from activities you normally enjoy, and forgetting things easily听such as assessment deadlines.听If you鈥檙e struggling, we are here for you.听We encourage you to access our听support听services听and听check out sources of advice and guidance below.听听
Find out what external support is available to you to help manage stress and overwhelm.听听
Explore the online self-help library for further reading material about stress.听听
Discover online programmes and app resources to help manage stress.听
- Assessment success guide
At 皇家华人, it's normal to have lots of coursework, in-class tests and exams, which can be a nerve-wracking and stressful experience.听
The exam success guide is here to help you plan and prepare to the best of your ability for exam day. The examination period is an understandably challenging time, and few of us can honestly say that we don't get at least a little nervous before sitting an exam. As much as we might sometimes dislike them, exams are in most cases an essential means of assessment, and there is plenty we can do to tackle our stress and achieve our best.听
- Volunteering
Looking to improve your wellbeing?听Want to be better connected with other people? Volunteering may just be the answer.
You can discover all our opportunities in the Students' Union UCL's听 鈥� use the search tools to find something perfect for you.
They have an enormous range of options for you, including in-person volunteering, 听(including setting up your own project!), and virtual volunteering such as - there is something for everyone. Doing a master's?听ou can do a great socially-conscious dissertation. Check out our听听鈥� where they help you skill up for networking, meet local non-profit organisations and collaborate during the development of your dissertation project. Make your research count!
If you want to receive the latest volunteering roles, simply听.听