If you’ve experienced violence and abuse of any kind, please know that you are not alone and our Disclosure Response Team are here to offer practical support and advice. Money tensions, unrealistic expectations and increased alcohol consumption make the Christmas period a peak time for relationship abuse/domestic violence. If your partner or family member is controlling, Read more
One of our Wellbeing Champions, Tsvetina, shares tips on coping with homesickness… Staying in Cardiff over the holidays is a decision or necessity for some students due to a number of reasons. If you are staying in Cardiff over the winter recess, please rest assured that it is normal to feel a bit off-balance when lectures Read more
Genetics student, Maddie, shares some things to do in Cardiff over the winter break. Staying in Cardiff over the holidays and looking for something fun to do? There’s a variety of events and activities to suit everyone in Cardiff this Christmas no matter what your interests, but here are our top picks! 1. Visit Read more
Einir, the dedicated contact for care leavers and estranged students shares some advice for students estranged from their families this winter. The festive period can be challenging if you are estranged from your family. Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, the never-ending advertisements featuring happy families around the Christmas tree may make you feel angry, Read more
Sophie, Student Intern, discusses how you and your friends can stay safe this winter… With tinsel, gifts, Christmas lights and snow loads of university work, it might be easy to put personal safety on the back burner. However, whether you’re heading home or staying in Cardiff over the holidays, it’s still important to take precautions to ensure your own and Read more
With the holidays fast approaching, our winter survival guide is here to provide information, advice and guidance for Cardiff University students. Whatever your plans over the winter recess, we have created a series of blogs to help give you some fun ideas on what to do and offer practical advice on your wellbeing during the holidays. Read more
Rachel from the Student Wellbeing Team shares tips on how to stay on track with your studies whilst also enjoying the winter break. There are always a million and one things to be done over the festive period – whether it’s making sure you’ve bought gifts for everyone, arranging to meet up with friends or catching Read more
Victoria, Student Intern, discusses festive drinking and warns not to get too jolly… For some, ‘tis the season for festive drinks. However, don’t feel like you need to chug mulled wine just to get in the festive spirit. Alcohol can affect your university experience and your mental and physical health. The festive season often comes Read more
Rachel, Wellbeing Practitioner from the Counselling, Health & Wellbeing Service, shares tips on coping with anxiety before and during exams. It is natural to feel anxious prior to an exam. In fact, a little anxiety can actually help performance. Anxiety and stress cause the body to release adrenalin which can be helpful when responding to challenging Read more
Amy from our Wellbeing Team shares some useful tips to help you cope with exam stress. It is normal to feel a little bit of stress (some level of stress can help you focus), but too much of it can lead you to feel out of control and can make it harder for you to take Read more
Rachel from the Student Wellbeing Team shares tips on how to manage your revision time effectively. It can be really hard to find self-motivation as the exam period gets closer. It requires a great deal of discipline and organisation to revise, especially when the joint demands of different courses or modules become overwhelming. Good planning Read more
Jo from the Wellbeing Team talks about Transgender Awareness Week (12-19 November) and Trans Day of Remembrance (20 November) Transgender Awareness Weekis an annual event, which aims to raise the visibility of transgender and gender non-conforming people and address some of the issues this community faces. After Transgender Awareness Week is Transgender Day of Remembrance Read more
Kristina Bowers, International Student Advisor, explains culture shock and how you can overcome it. As the nights get longer and the days become grey and damp, you may find yourself wishing for the warm sun and familiar faces, missing the comforts of home a little more than you expected… It’s likely that it’s not just Read more
Rachel, Wellbeing Practitioner from our Counselling, Health & Wellbeing Service, talks about Remembrance. Join us in a two-minute silence to remember our Armed Forces’ Veterans. Every year, a two-minute silence is held to remember and honour those who served in the war to protect our freedom. This year Armistice Day falls on Sunday 11 November and staff Read more
One of our Wellbeing Champions, Tamzin, shares some strategies for dealing with stress this International Stress Awareness Week. Stress is part of modern life. Four out of ten people in the UK say that it is a big problem for them. It is actually one of the most common reasons for people seeing their GP. Read more
Are you in a happy and healthy relationship? Take the quiz… In a healthy relationship, both partners will share power and control equally. You should feel safe and secure in your relationship. Here are some key characteristics of a healthy, loving relationship… 1. Mutual respect You respect each other just the way you are. You Read more
Watching a friend experience relationship abuse can be scary and frustrating. You may feel like you have no control of the situation and are unsure how to help… You may want to consider the following advice on how to offer support: It is important that the person feels that they are believed. Make sure that Read more
As a student of Cardiff University, we hope that you’ll play your part in creating a safe campus culture. Acting as an Empowered Bystander is easy and can have a huge impact. What is the Bystander Effect? The Bystander Effect is a psychological phenomenon where you are less likely to receive or give aid when Read more
Anyone can be affected by sexual violence. Sexual violence can happen to anyone, no matter your age, your sexual orientation, or your gender identity. Men and boys who have experienced sexual violence, experience the same feelings and reactions as other survivors of sexual assault, but they may also face some additional challenges because of social Read more
No student should have to experience sexual violence or abuse. The Disclosure Response Team are here to support you and advise on your options should you choose to report… Immediately after an incident it is normal to feel shock, pain, anger, numbness and denial. Some students will want to keep themselves busy, some will want Read more
True consent should sound like a clear, enthusiastic consensual ‘yes’ from both individuals, and they should have the freedom and capacity to give their consent. Here’s our advice on how to gain consent from a sexual partner… If someone is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, unconscious or Read more
Cardiff University is aware of how violence and abuse affects students, and is committed to addressing these issues. A violent crime is when someone physically hurts or threatens to hurt someone, and also includes crimes where a weapon is used. The police will record a crime as violent if the offender clearly intended or intends Read more
Cardiff University is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for students. The Disclosure Response Team is here to support you. Violence and abuse can take many different forms. We strongly advise that you read through all the information available to you by searching ‘Violence and Abuse’ on the Intranet before submitting a report. This will Read more
Cardiff University has a zero tolerance policy for violence and abuse. We are committed to educating and preventing against violence and abuse on campus. Please read on for more information about online harassment and accessing support. Social networking has the power to bring people together from all corners of the world. It has a great Read more
Student Wellbeing Champion, Tamzin, talks about National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2018, and how to get involved. National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2018 is happening from 13 – 20 October 2018. A Hate Crime is a crime which you feel was targeted at you, due to your race, faith, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion. This Read more
Cardiff University has a zero tolerance policy for violence and abuse. We are committed to educating and preventing against violence and abuse on campus. Please read on for more information about sexual violence and how to access support. The term “sexual violence” is an an all-encompassing, non-legal term that refers to crimes like sexual assault, Read more
Modern Languages Student, Emily, talks about her experience with depression, anxiety and loneliness and encourages others to speak out about how they are feeling. Starting university in a new city and a new country entirely was challenging and it was at this time that my mental health began to be affected. Although things improved, they Read more
Student Wellbeing Champion, Tamzin, discusses National Coming Out Day and how to get involved. October 11 is National Coming Out Day and Cardiff University is celebrating in partnership with Rainbow Bridge, the specialised LGBT+ domestic abuse support organisation. ‘Coming out’ means telling someone something about yourself that isn’t immediately obvious. In relation to sexual orientation Read more
Tamzin, Student Wellbeing Champion, talks about ‘Mind Your Head’ Week and World Mental Health Day and how you can get involved with events around campus. Mind Your Head Week is an annual event running Monday 8 October – Saturday 13 October this year. It’s a week of events held around Cardiff University to raise awareness Read more
Amy from our Wellbeing team shares her tips on getting through your first few weeks at uni… I imagine, like many other new students, that you’ve had months of nail-biting anticipation and preparation for the student life ahead of you. Well now you’re finally here – welcome! If you’ve done a Google Search “Surviving Fresher’s” you’ll have seen the Read more
Jo, from the Student Wellbeing Team, talks about World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September 2018 and how you can be part of creating a Suicide-Safer University… Every year, suicide is among the top 20 leading causes of death globally for people of all ages. It is responsible for over 800,000 deaths, which equates to Read more
Jo and Scot from the Student Wellbeing Team talk about Pride Cymru and the support available at Cardiff for LGBT+ students… The countdown has begun….! Pride Cymru is Wales’ largest annual celebration of equality and diversity and we’ll be there, here’s more about what’s planned, how to get involved and the support we offer Cardiff Read more
Wellbeing Champion and Biomedical Science Student, Abbie, shares her experience of anxiety and depression, and encourages others to talk about how they’re feeling. When anxiety and depression began to have a huge effect on my life, I found it difficult to talk about how I was feeling. I struggled to even put what I was Read more
Kirsty, Wellbeing Practitioner in the Counselling, Health & Wellbeing Service, talks about Armed Forces Day and the dedicated support available for student veterans… Armed Forces Day is an annual event which provides an opportunity to show our support for the people in the Armed Forces who are currently, or have previously served, as well as their Read more
PhD Student and Postgraduate Peer Supporter, Sum, discusses Bipolar Disorder and shares his own personal experience of this mental health condition… My experience with mental health problems began when I was sixteen years old. After significant struggles and inaccurate diagnoses of depression whilst completing my undergraduate degree, I was correctly diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Since Read more
Music student and Wellbeing Champion, Sophie, talks about the potential side-effects of hormonal contraceptives on mental health and shares her own story… My experience with mental health problems began in school and correlated with when I began taking oral contraceptives. I suffered with low mood, mood swings and anxiety until I finally opened up to Read more
Scot, Wellbeing Practitioner, talks about Mental Health Awareness Week… It’s mental health awareness week and it couldn’t come at a better time! Exams and deadlines are happening for many of us, or are looming in the near future, so let’s not forget to take care of ourselves. The theme this year is stress and Read more
Polly, Geography Student and Wellbeing Champion, talks about her struggles with depression and anxiety…. In 2015, I came to University, and symptoms of depression and anxiety made their appearance. Being in an unfamiliar place, away from my usual support network, made this even more challenging and I struggled to speak about how I was feeling. Read more
Psychology student and Wellbeing Champion, Nichola, discusses her experience of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and how one honest conversation can make a world of difference. After suffering silently with PTSD at University, one honest conversation spurred a positive path towards acceptance and coping strategies. From once struggling to even express my feelings to friends, Read more
Carolyn, Postgraduate Peer Supporter, shares some key advice for postgraduate students and tells us more about the Postgraduate Peer Support group. An old piece of advice and a lifesaving strategy for me and my work has been to “kill your darlings.” In other words, get rid of my most precious and especially self-indulgent passages for Read more
Jo, Wellbeing Practitioner, talks about the Students’ Union’s new LGBT+ Mental Health Campaign: Stand with LGBT+, and how you can show support and get involved! For the LGBT+ Community, the risk of struggling with poor mental health is higher. What does LGBT+ mean? ‘LGBT+’ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and other identities. The phrase Read more
Tamzin, Student Wellbeing Champion, tells us more about Trans Day of Visibility and how you can show your support for the transgender community. Saturday 31 March is Trans Day of Visibility (TDOV), part of the LGBT+ awareness days. TDOV is an opportunity to celebrate diversity and show your encouragement and support for trans rights and Read more
Final year geography student, Callie, discusses her experience of social anxiety and the impact that being more open about mental health can have. In 2016, I finally admitted I had Social Anxiety and found help at University. This year I helped to launch a University Campaign and found out I have an interview for my Read more
The 19 – 25 March is National Conversation Week and, in an era where much conversation has been replaced with staring at phones, it has never been more needed! Social Media Cleanse? Social Media can be great – catching up with friends or just seeing what’s going on in the world – but it’s so Read more
Jo, Wellbeing Practitioner and Time to Change Champion, talks about Cardiff University’s new Mental Health Campaign: What’s on your mind? #LetsShare, encouraging us all to share more when it comes to mental health… Mental health problems are common. One in four of us will be affected at some point in our lives. So being able Read more
Student Wellbeing Champion, Tamzin, discusses creative ways to speak about your mental health and improve your wellbeing. I’m one of over a hundred Student Wellbeing Champions (trained students who offer peer to peer support around campus and via online instant messaging) and reducing the stigma that surrounds mental health is something we’re all passionate about. On Read more
Hannah, one of our Student Wellbeing Champions, talks about Online Peer Support and the new Chat to a Champion service. The Chat to a Champion online drop-in launched last term! It’s a great way for us Wellbeing Champions to offer peer support to students over the internet. What I think is so great about it Read more
If you are funded through Student Finance Wales or Student Finance England, you will not receive your second student loan payment until Monday 8 January. Rachel, our student intern, talks about what to do if you’re not already prepared… With Christmas around the corner and New Year’s celebrations just after, we know that this might be Read more
Nichola, Counselling, Health and Wellbeing placement student, shares her recommendations on the best apps to support your wellbeing, study and finances… December is known for its festive activities which bring joy to many but can also be frustrating for others. Winter recess is that time of the year when many student houses empty for a couple Read more
English Literature and Philosophy student, Christabel, shares some things to do in Cardiff over the winter break. Whether you want to make the most of some time off to get involved with some festive fun before you head home for Christmas or are staying here during the winter break, check out these 10 things to Read more
