Peace of mind with student wellbeing

For many students, university can be a difficult time, but not just in the academic sense, mental health can also be under pressure for a multitude of reasons.

Most students will be moving away from home and being placed amongst many new people, learning new skills and gaining a workload for the first time. It comes as no surprise that some may struggle with this.

Mental health is no small problem for anyone at any age, but because circumstances change so rapidly at university, it is even more of an issue amongst students. It has been covered in the news time and time again about the rising level of depression and further mental health problems with university students, and with the continued light being brought towards it, it should encourage those who are suffering to seek help.

For the University of Lincoln, help can come in a range ways, whether it’s simply talking to your peers, or getting in contact with tutors or lecturers. A simple chat about how you are feeling can go a long way to help you get your mind into a better place.

Sometimes though, it can be overwhelming and a little daunting to bring up how you are feeling with those close to you and that’s where the Student Wellbeing Centre comes in.

Located next to the Health centre on the Brayford Pool Campus, the centre has a team of professional wellbeing advisors, mental health advisors and counsellors at your disposal. They offer help and advice for any student struggling with university including disability issues, medical conditions, learning difficulties and mental health.

I was able to have a chat with a second-year student who has previously used the Student Wellbeing Centre’s services. She was suffering from mental health issues, so the university took action in placing her with a counsellor.

She said: “I think that wellbeing was great with my situation and helped me to understand that what I was feeling was normal. They helped me to understand my emotions and how to work with them rather than trying to block them out. The counselling helped me immensely”.

The Student Wellbeing Centre counselling service receives a lot of students and will have a waiting list for anyone new coming in, so it is important that if you are seeking aid, you should join up as soon as possible in order to make the most out of the services.

Don’t think that the Student Wellbeing Centre solely caters to those suffering from particular types of mental health issues though. It can include everything from homesickness to stress to simply feeling lonely, which is a lot more common than not.

If you believe that you need to get in contact with the Student Wellbeing Centre you can call them on +44 (0) 1522 886400 or email them at studentwellbeing@lincoln.ac.uk.

There are other services other than Student Wellbeing Centre for more specific issues like the Student Advice Service. They will give free advice on issues such as funding, fees, housing and other personal issues. There is also the Student Funding team who will help students with all things financial.

For students seeking spiritual advice, the Chaplaincy provides a welcoming environment for students of all cultures and faiths to receive information on local places of worship and faith societies as well as other spiritual help.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to any of these teams if at any time during your university experience you feel you need professional help, they are there for you.