16 January 2024

A new year brings new opportunities. Perhaps you’re completing the first year of your studies this year, or perhaps you’re finishing your master’s. These major milestones require lots of time, energy and perseverance, which can affect your mental health. Good mental well-being is very important for resilience, and you need to be resilient to get through the challenging times in your life. Not only is a healthy mind an important prerequisite for a positive learning environment – it also allows you to grow on a personal level!

Who to turn to

As you may know, our faculty is doing a number of things to help improve general student well-being. We’re focusing on problem solving and obstacles as well as prevention. If your personal circumstances are affecting your well-being, and therefore your study performance, then your first port of call is your study adviser. Student psychologists are also there to offer individual support. You might be struggling with a fear of failure, motivation problems, low mood or stress, for example. There are workshops and training courses available to help you work on your study skills and personal growth. These are led by student psychologists and can help with issues like academic confidence, self-esteem, putting things off and stress.

Peer Support

Remember that your peers are also there for you. After all, studying is something we do together. Whether you’re worried about something study-related or whether it’s a more personal issue, a student from the Student Support Team is on hand for a chat or a listening ear every day from 12.00 to 14.00 in the KOG building’s Student Living Room. It’s okay to reach out and tell someone that things aren’t going so well – almost all students feel like that from time to time. We also encourage you to share your experiences with friends and classmates. By talking about your feelings, you can work on self-reflection and this helps you get to know yourself and discover what energises you and what drains your energy.

Reach out

Chat with a friend or classmate, ask how they’re doing and tell them when you’re not doing so well. Remember – you’re not on your own this year, and it’s okay to ask for help. Study advisers, student psychologists and the Student Support Team are all here to listen and support you. This year, let's work together to reduce the stigma associated with discussing mental health. Everyone should feel free to talk about it and take steps to improve their mental well-being this coming year and in years to come.

Contact

If you have a good idea about how our faculty could improve student well-being, please contact our Student Wellbeing Officer Susanne Deen or speak to someone from the Student Support Team in the Living Room.