Things not going to plan

It is common for students to take time to adjust to life at University. You may have just moved away from home for the first time and have just realised that your socks won’t wash themselves. You could be finding that making friends at University was not as easy as you expected and you miss your friends at home.

For most this is just a bump in the road on their journey to graduation, for others, it can seem like a roadblock that they can't see a way around. If this sounds like you, remember that when we feel low, problems seem so much bigger and impossible to overcome.

Most of the time, if you engage with support, try new things, look after yourself, and concentrate on your work, then you will usually move past this experience and really enjoy University.

What is it all about?

Maybe you are realising that your course is not for you or that you are coming down with Fresher’s flu and aren’t sure who you should contact about missing lectures. Some students just feel like they don't fit in. This can be as simple as not getting on with your housemates or not having as good a social life as you did back home.

These are all things that most students worry about at some point. The following page will give you some advice and guidance on what you can do to try and make yourself feel better. Remember that building a new life takes time. How long did it take you to build up your friendship group back home? To learn what you enjoyed doing or where the best places to eat and drink were?

We have all met that person who seems to have made best friends with their entire student flat, is the life and soul of Freshers week and succeeds in all their work assignments. It can make us wonder, what is wrong with us? Why isn't it so easy for me? Please be reassured that it takes time. It is normal for you to take the first year or so of university finding your feet. A lot of students meet or bond with their circle of friends in the second year.

All of this is part of the process of University. It's not just about gaining a degree, its also about learning about yourself. What kind of person brings out the best in you, how do you meet people, who do you choose as a friend, how do you cope with rejection, how do you improve your resilience? If you have an easy ride, you won't learn all these valuable life skills, grow as a person and graduate as a well rounded individual who can enter the work place and hit the ground running.

Practical tips & advice

Are you having trouble adjusting to University life? First things first, sort out your creature comforts:

Things to Try	Why might this help?
Wash your clothes!	Get your laundry bags and pound coins at the ready, it's time to finally wash some clothes. We may be used to our parents keeping us supplied with clean clothes and re-wearing dirty ones does nothing for our self-esteem or ability to make new friends! So ask your flatmates or your RLA warden where the nearest laundry point is and get a wash on. You will feel a lot better with a drawer full of clean clothes and won't have to resort to buying new underwear instead of washing them!
Get cooking	A great way to cheer yourself up is to learn to cook something new or try and recreate one of your favourite recipes from home. At University, it's easy to fall into bad eating habits, which can lead to weight gain, feeling ill and can negatively affect your mood. Try to eat a variety of fruit and vegetables to get those vitamins in! Offering to make a meal for your flatmates can also be a good way to get to know them better and you might impress them with your culinary skills!
Keep in touch	So many students leave home and forget to keep in touch with their friends and family. This is an easy thing to let slide and can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. If you get in the habit of keeping in touch now, you won't think twice to pick up the phone later on when you really need their advice and reassurance.
Get involved!	Do you have different interests to your housemates? Struggling to find common ground with people on your course? Don't despair! There are student societies which are available to everyone and can be joined at any time throughout the academic year, not just Freshers week. You can meet like-minded people and enjoy doing the things you love together. Find out what societies are available here.
Skills for Life	Why not try something new and fun? Skills for Life offers a wide range of activities to get you out of your comfort zone and meeting new people. Classes include art, self-defence, weight training, yoga, car maintenance and many more. Find out what's coming up here.
Meet your Tutor	Have you met your Personal Tutor yet? If you haven't had contact from them, make sure you ask you College Welfare contact why you haven't. It's really important that you get to know them as they will be who you need to ask for a reference when you graduate, if they haven't met you, they aren't going to have much to say about you!

Where to go for further support

Things to be aware of:

What Are Extenuating Circumstances?

Extenuating circumstances are circumstances that have happened to you, which are beyond your control and have significantly impacted your ability to do your work to a high standard. Worried you may not be able to complete your assignments due to a family bereavement or won’t be able to sit an exam due to illness? If you think an extenuating circumstance has affected your performance in an exam you sat in the last 5 days or is likely to affect an exam or piece of coursework you should speak to your Faculty Student Information / Experience Team to see if you are eligible to apply for extenuating circumstances. See the page Bereavement and Loss for more details on this topic. You can read more about the University's Extenuating circumstances policy.

Thinking Of Leaving?

If you are really struggling to find your place at University, you may benefit from talking things over with your Personal Tutor or your Faculty Student Information / Experience Team. They can advise you on the options available to you. You may be able to transfer to another course which could be more suitable for you, suspend your studies and come back next year, or discuss the possibility of withdrawing from your studies. These options may all have an impact on your student finances or visa status, so it is important you also consult Money@CampusLife and International@CampusLife (for international students) before making any decision about your course status.

Support within the University

Faculty Student Information / Experience Team

You can contact the Student Information / Experience staff in your Faculty who can offer you practical advice, guidance, and signposting to appropriate services. They can also discuss the extenuating circumstances process with you should you need to use this. You can find a list of the contact details for Faculty Student Information / Experience staff here.

You can read more about the extenuating circumstances process here.

Listening Service

Faith@CampusLife's listening service offers a listening ear to whoever needs it – irrespective of religion, if any. These chats can happen via phone or video calling, whichever you feel most comfortable using. If you would like to speak to a particular member of the team then please indicate who that is when you contact them. To access this service please contact Listeningservice.campuslife@swansea.ac.uk

Wellbeing

Wellbeing - Swansea University’s Wellbeing Service can offer students support such as access to stress control course, self-help resources, group programmes, one-off support sessions and counselling. You can contact Wellbeing by emailing wellbeingdisability@swansea.ac.uk

You can request support by filling out the Wellbeing Service Support Request Form.

Togetherall

Togetherall is a digital mental health service freely available at togetherall.com. Using your University email address, you can anonymously access support 24/7 with trained clinicians online at all times, as well as a range of helpful tools and resources. It is a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively and learn how to manage your mental health. You can access it here: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/wellbeing/togetherall/

MyUniHub

The MyUniHub team are here to help you access a wide range of University support services and to help you resolve any queries you may have. The team will be available between 08:30 - 17:00 Monday to Friday (apart from bank holidays) by phone on 01792 606000, LiveChat and by email via MyUniHub@Swansea.ac.uk.

The team will be available in person Monday - Friday between 09:00 - 16:00 on both Singleton and Bay Campus

You may also find it useful to explore their website.

External Support

Family & Friends

Don't underestimate the benefit of talking to your family and friends about how you are feeling. Sometimes a problem shared is a problem halved. Be careful not to depend on talking to your family and friends from home all the time though - you need to give yourself the chance to meet new friends!