You have probably heard it time and time again, but I will say it one more time – the importance of your mental health cannot be understated. This is why during your studies it is so necessary to feel supported and part of the extensive community of students right here in Cardiff.

Although university can be, and mostly is, a hugely exciting time of learning, socialising and discovering new things, it can also feel isolating and lonely at times. The good thing is that you are certainly not alone and there are guaranteed to be a load of people experiencing the exact same thoughts and feelings as you. When workload stresses, personal issues or anything at all crop up, there are number of services you can access as a student to help you overcome these.

The university has its very own counselling and wellbeing service, plus heaps of online self-help and advice resources. Appointments are available all throughout the week with a number of options available to suit you. 15-minute drop-in appointments are run daily as well as 90-minute therapeutic consultations which can be booked after completing an online self-referral questionnaire. After these, you will work with a councillor to come up with the best plan of action to move forward with. All university counselling services are free of charge.

Every student is also allocated a personal tutor who is usually a lecturer from your academic school. Personal tutors are always there for you as a first point of contact for any concerns that may be impacting your studies – whether that be personal or academic. They may be able to help you directly, but if not, will direct you to someone that can.

One useful app I also recently came across is the TalkCampus app. This is essentially a mental health peer support network in which you can chat to fellow students all across the world who are experiencing the same struggles as you. On the app you will remain anonymous and have the option to chat at any time; day or night. Similar to this, the university has a dedicated team of student wellbeing champions who are trained to provide practical help to fellow students. These run numerous social meet-up groups and sessions designed to support you.  

However, sometimes it is simply small lifestyle changes that are needed to see monumental improvements to our mental wellness. Joining the gym and devising a healthy eating plan although may not seem much, can make a huge difference to your mood. For me, going to the gym is as equally about my physical health as it is about my mental, and so I make sure to take time out of my week, even if it is just an hour or two, to put on some tunes and to work a sweat. Even just going for a walk around the beautiful Bute Park gives me an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city for a little while.

So ultimately, just because you are away from home, and possibly away from your closest support network (especially during your first year), it certainly doesn’t mean you are alone. Mental wellbeing is a high priority at Cardiff University and there will always be people here to listen and support you.

If you would like any further information, feel free to leave a comment below and I will get right back to you!

You have probably heard it time and time again, but I will say it one more time – the importance of your mental health cannot be understated. This is why during your studies it is so necessary to feel supported and part of the extensive community of students right here in Cardiff.

Although university can be, and mostly is, a hugely exciting time of learning, socialising and discovering new things, it can also feel isolating and lonely at times. The good thing is that you are certainly not alone and there are guaranteed to be a load of people experiencing the exact same thoughts and feelings as you. When workload stresses, personal issues or anything at all crop up, there are number of services you can access as a student to help you overcome these.

The university has its very own counselling and wellbeing service, plus heaps of online self-help and advice resources. Appointments are available all throughout the week with a number of options available to suit you. 15-minute drop-in appointments are run daily as well as 90-minute therapeutic consultations which can be booked after completing an online self-referral questionnaire. After these, you will work with a councillor to come up with the best plan of action to move forward with. All university counselling services are free of charge.

Every student is also allocated a personal tutor who is usually a lecturer from your academic school. Personal tutors are always there for you as a first point of contact for any concerns that may be impacting your studies – whether that be personal or academic. They may be able to help you directly, but if not, will direct you to someone that can.

One useful app I also recently came across is the TalkCampus app. This is essentially a mental health peer support network in which you can chat to fellow students all across the world who are experiencing the same struggles as you. On the app you will remain anonymous and have the option to chat at any time; day or night. Similar to this, the university has a dedicated team of student wellbeing champions who are trained to provide practical help to fellow students. These run numerous social meet-up groups and sessions designed to support you.  

However, sometimes it is simply small lifestyle changes that are needed to see monumental improvements to our mental wellness. Joining the gym and devising a healthy eating plan although may not seem much, can make a huge difference to your mood. For me, going to the gym is as equally about my physical health as it is about my mental, and so I make sure to take time out of my week, even if it is just an hour or two, to put on some tunes and to work a sweat. Even just going for a walk around the beautiful Bute Park gives me an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city for a little while.

So ultimately, just because you are away from home, and possibly away from your closest support network (especially during your first year), it certainly doesn’t mean you are alone. Mental wellbeing is a high priority at Cardiff University and there will always be people here to listen and support you.

If you would like any further information, feel free to leave a comment below and I will get right back to you!