Monthly Student Wellbeing Newsletter – October 2024
Welcome to our newsletter - to facilitate awareness and increase support for students.
Welcome (back)
Coming to university for the first time, or returning for a new year can be exciting for many, but also brings with it feelings of uncertainty and worry for a wide range of reasons.
It’s completely normal to have a few nerves about the start of university, particularly before you’ve found your feet with your course, new tutors, and built up your social network.
The Wellbeing team, along with Res Life colleagues, host regular groups, events and social opportunities throughout the academic year. Students (living in the UK) can also access up to 6 sessions of therapy each academic year too. You can request support on this page.
If you, or any other Sussex students, are worried about feeling prepared for the year ahead, you might find this Student Space page helpful in providing information and reassurance that you are not alone in this experience – as well as providing some really helpful tips to help you manage.
Please also see the below information and link to Togetherall, a 24/7 365 day-a-year service to support student mental health. Students can access FREE support, information and guided wellbeing courses using their Sussex email address. Sign up and take a look at what’s on offer.
Wellbeing groups
Stress Control Group (remote) 15th Oct - 5th Nov (4 sessions in total) Every Tuesday, 2-4pm, online.
Long-term Health Conditions Group (in-person) 24th Oct – 21st Nov (5 sessions in total) Every Thursday 2-4pm, Student Centre.
Low Mood Group (in-person) 13th Nov- 4th Dec (4 sessions in total) Every Wednesday 2-4pm, Student Centre.
Email therapy@sussex.ac.uk for more info and to sign up.
Wellbeing stall
The Wellbeing team offer a weekly drop-in stall for students to come and ask any questions they have about their wellbeing while at university. These could be to do with their mental health (and how to access support, or get some self-care tips), physical health (and how to register with a GP or dentist), or sexual health (and how to access free contraception, sexual health tests and support with pregnancy).
The stall is hosted in the Student Centre atrium every Thursday (during term time) from 12-2pm and you can find out more details via the Student Hub.
Wellbeing Instagram
Students can find out about resources, events and drop-ins taking place on campus and the local area, to support your overall well-being. Give us a follow to stay up to date!
Togetherall
Sussex students can access Togetherall for free, using their university email address, via this link. You can share thoughts and feelings, ask questions, connect with other students and access support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Trained clinicians monitor the environment to ensure compliance and to guide users in the right direction for additional support.
There are also creative tools to help express how you are feeling and a wide range of self-guided courses to do at your own pace.
Disability
One in five students at Sussex has a disability. Follow this link to find out about the help available for disabled students, and students with a learning difficulty or ongoing physical or mental health condition. N.B. in order for a student to apply for reasonable adjustments, they need to be registered with the disability team.
Disability Drop-ins Term time only Mon and Wed from 2-4pm, Student Centre, Landscape 15 Visit website here.
Residential Life
Connector Cafe peer support sessions: Weekly on Wednesdays 1-3pm, Student Centre, Woodland 1.
The Residential Life team have events for students in university-managed accommodation. All the details can be found on their Instagram, on Student Hub, and on the Mysussex events tab.
Chaplaincy
The Meeting House is in the middle of our campus by Library Square. It‘s the base for our campus chaplains and also an excellent place for quiet study, relaxing, chatting with friends or eating your lunch. Click here for more information on news and events.
Money
Learn about money awarded to students in hardship and short-term loans provided by Sussex following this link.
Money Advice Drop-ins are term time only - Wednesdays 1:30 - 3:30 Landscape 10, Student Centre. Visit website here.
Self-help guides (free and easy mental health support!)
All Sussex students have access to a series of self-help guides that can help them with specific wellbeing experiences in their own time, at a pace that suits them.
The guides are written by the NHS and updated regularly in line with best practice and are a great place to start thinking about managing difficult experiences before they become too impactful.
You can follow this link to access the guides.
Students Union
The students' union also have an impartial advice service, as well as hosting regular events and workshops. Students can access these via the USSU website.
Other important info
Exceptional Circumstances
If you have experienced something short-term and unexpected that affects your academic performance, you might need the University to give you additional consideration for exams or assessments. Please follow this link to find out more about exceptional circumstances claims.
Study Skills resources
If you find that you’d like more support with topics such as essay writing, note-making, presentations and more then this page has lots of online resources and advice.
Other useful links for students: