In case you guys didn't know I suffer from really bad anxiety. I have social anxiety and what's called Generalised Anxiety Disorder or GAD, now having these sorts of issues can really affect my university experience so in this blog I'm going to talk about the help available to those with mental health issues, specifically anxiety as well as some advice on overcoming obstacles that may come your way during your time at university.
The first hurdle I ever had to deal with came with the first day I moved in - meeting new people and making friends. The good thing about this is that almost everyone in first year is in the same situation as you so are very friendly and welcoming. The same with second and third years, in my first day of university a load of second years came into one of the first year accommodation and introduced themselves and took us out for our first night out. And now, as a third year student, I intend to make the first years feel as welcome as possible. I know how scary and daunting it can be as soon as your parents leave and you're just on your own trying to work everything out and make friends, but everyone is in the same position. It's so important to get out of your room and talk to people. Hopefully you will have already met some people online on your course and in your halls so that will help break the ice with everyone. That's one thing I was so glad about when coming to this university, it was so easy to find other people who were studying Acting as well, and before we even came to UWTSD we had group Skype calls and got to know each other. There are loads of pages on Facebook where you can find other students on the course and my friend Gee was instrumental in finding all of us and creating a community before we even got to UWTSD. The night before I even moved in a few of us went for a drink at the local Spoons and then went to the Union and I'm still really good friends with those guys even now.
Once you've settled in and made new friends the next thing to look forward to is your lectures. Luckily for us they eased us into the process and there was a lot of new things to try as well as attempting to find all of the rooms your lectures will be in. With the Performing Arts department you do a workshop run by the second years before you even start lectures and they give you a tour of the university which is so helpful when finding rooms. They actually show you where they are and give you little tips and tricks to help you in your actual lectures. One thing I found really daunting was meeting my lecturers but I was so pleased to find they were so warm and welcoming, they were firm in the rules they laid out for us but ensured that we knew we could come to them if we ever needed help with anything. I could drop an email to one of my lecturers and ask for a meeting to chat about stuff and they would make time for me. They really care about their students which is so reassuring and lovely to know.
The Student Services department at the University is also awesome with helping students along the way, especially if they have difficulties. They have several different type of people that you can go see if you're struggling a little and the people who work there are so friendly and helpful. Going to university can be so overwhelming and all the staff there understand that and want to help you so you can succeed which is really amazing. They understand how much change goes on in the first few weeks of university and how stressful it can be as a whole and they make sure they have the resources to deal with your issues. They have mental health advisers, counsellors and study skills support for students if you need it. They also don't judge or make you feel bad, they just attempt to make you feel comfortable and help you to sort out your problems. Do not be afraid to go see them if you are struggling a little.
Going to UWTSD has been one of the best experiences of my life and I'm so thankful of all the support given to me by my lecturers and by Student Services. This university really cares about your well being and are so supportive in every single aspect of student life. They want you to do well and succeed and I think that's what makes them stand out from other places. I hope you enjoyed this blog and it set your mind at ease about moving away for the first time. You can do it! If you have any questions of want a chat I'm always on this Twitter account so send me a DM or just Tweet me. Hopefully I'll have a professional Facebook up and running soon as well.
(Also enjoy this little throwback from when we finished our module: Performing Shakespeare, before Summer. Love these guys so much.)
Once you've settled in and made new friends the next thing to look forward to is your lectures. Luckily for us they eased us into the process and there was a lot of new things to try as well as attempting to find all of the rooms your lectures will be in. With the Performing Arts department you do a workshop run by the second years before you even start lectures and they give you a tour of the university which is so helpful when finding rooms. They actually show you where they are and give you little tips and tricks to help you in your actual lectures. One thing I found really daunting was meeting my lecturers but I was so pleased to find they were so warm and welcoming, they were firm in the rules they laid out for us but ensured that we knew we could come to them if we ever needed help with anything. I could drop an email to one of my lecturers and ask for a meeting to chat about stuff and they would make time for me. They really care about their students which is so reassuring and lovely to know.
The Student Services department at the University is also awesome with helping students along the way, especially if they have difficulties. They have several different type of people that you can go see if you're struggling a little and the people who work there are so friendly and helpful. Going to university can be so overwhelming and all the staff there understand that and want to help you so you can succeed which is really amazing. They understand how much change goes on in the first few weeks of university and how stressful it can be as a whole and they make sure they have the resources to deal with your issues. They have mental health advisers, counsellors and study skills support for students if you need it. They also don't judge or make you feel bad, they just attempt to make you feel comfortable and help you to sort out your problems. Do not be afraid to go see them if you are struggling a little.
Going to UWTSD has been one of the best experiences of my life and I'm so thankful of all the support given to me by my lecturers and by Student Services. This university really cares about your well being and are so supportive in every single aspect of student life. They want you to do well and succeed and I think that's what makes them stand out from other places. I hope you enjoyed this blog and it set your mind at ease about moving away for the first time. You can do it! If you have any questions of want a chat I'm always on this Twitter account so send me a DM or just Tweet me. Hopefully I'll have a professional Facebook up and running soon as well.
(Also enjoy this little throwback from when we finished our module: Performing Shakespeare, before Summer. Love these guys so much.)
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