Every Monday, firstpoint publishes five points about a topic related to life at university. This week, now that the semester has started, it’s time to concentrate on settling into life as a student at the University of Worcester…
POINT ONE: IF YOU’RE FEELING A LITTLE HOMESICK, YOU’RE NOT ON YOUR OWN…
As exciting as this new chapter may be, starting university can sometimes feel a little daunting at first. Don’t worry as many people feel the same! Missing family, friends and your familiar surroundings can make you feel homesick, even if you’ve been looking forward to coming to university.
It’s not unusual to feel homesick during the early stages of university – you might even be expecting it. But it’s worth remembering it can happen at any time.
Try not to shut yourself away; take time to talk to your new friends, old friends and family about how you’re settling in. Find out more about your new surroundings and explore the campus and the friendly city of Worcester – getting used to things can make it easier as it helps you to feel more at home. For an informal way to meet other students and member of support staff, why not pop along to the Fancy a Cuppa events?
POINT TWO: LEARNING ABOUT COMMUNAL LIVING…
Communal living with new flatmates can be both fun and challenging… It’s usually a good idea to sit down with your new flatmates and work out your hopes and expectations of living together. Discuss how you want the communal area to be kept, such as pre-agreed cupboard space, and how the tasks and responsibilities should be shared – knowing what to expect from each other will make things run more smoothly.
Talk to each other calmly if issues arise – getting things sorted at an early stage can avoid problems later on. Compromise is often the key to living harmoniously and nobody likes a messy housemate or a noisy neighbour, so be kind and respectful to each other – a little goes a long way. Our Residential Life Team are also on hand to offer any advice and guidance you might need.
It’s important to remember that living together can be a great way to socialise. You’ll meet people from different areas and cultures, and you can make friendships that will last a lifetime.
If you need further help to resolve problems or you’re just not sure how to start, our Student Support and Wellbeing Team can provide help and support; you can make an appointment to see one of the team via firstpoint.
POINT THREE: JOIN A CLUB OR SOCIETY THROUGH YOUR STUDENTS’ UNION…
Would you like to try a new hobby, find a new passion or spend your down time doing what you already love? Being part of a society welcomes you into a family of like-minded individuals and is a great place to make new friends and feel at home. It is also an opportunity to gain experience and learn transferable skills, which in turn could boost your CV!
There is an A-Z of all current societies on the SU website and many activities or clubs can help you work towards evidencing professional competencies which are great for future interviews! If you can’t see one that you like – and you have a few friends who share similar interests – why not set up your own?
POINT FOUR: A LITTLE EXTRA HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT…
We want you to enjoy your university experience and to learn and develop to your full potential, but we do understand that sometimes, things don’t go according to plan, or that you may require some support for issues you are experiencing both and and out of university.
You may feel you need some support to help you through more challenging times and it’s important to know that you’re never alone. People talk to counsellors about all sorts of things that are preventing them from being who, or how they want to be.
The university has a dedicated and experienced Counselling and Mental Health Service and you can arrange to speak confidentially with one of the team by booking a STAR appointment (Support, Triage, Advise, Referral) appointment either online here, or through firstpoint.
POINT FIVE: HELP IS AVAILABLE TO ENSURE YOU FEEL SAFE AT UNIVERSITY…
The University’s Security Team is here to assist students, staff and visitors to the University 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whether you are a student on or off campus, you can access them if you have any personal safety concerns. Find out more about the team on the Security webpage.
The university also has a dedicated PCSO (Police Community Support Officer) who is here to promote student safety, for crime prevention advice or to report non-emergency incidents, who can be contacted via email at pcso@worc.ac.uk or on 01905 542629.
CallMy is the University’s official safety app for students. If you are feeling uncomfortable in a situation on or between campuses, you can quickly alert University Security via the app, which is free to download and register.
To download the app please search for Callmy in your app store and then when registering use the code ‘WR2 students’.
Finally, many of our students like to enjoy the social opportunities available in Worcester city centre, from vibrant bars to the several nightclubs on our doorstop – did you know that you can find the Safe Space mobile van usually located in Worcester on Friday and Saturday nights, if you are injured, need a safe space to wait or are feeling vulnerable. You can find further information on their location and dates on the Safe Space webpage here.
If you need any further wellbeing support, get in touch with firstpoint, or check the emergency and out of hours support options online here.
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