Tuesday 31-03-2020 - 12:09

I’m sure we’ve all been finding the current situation surrounding Covid-19 a mix of worrying, scary and unpredictable. Many of you will be worried about the health and wellbeing of yourselves, your loved ones and your peers, whilst also dealing with concerns about academic work, accommodation and finances.  

During this stressful time, as your Student Officers, we’re doing all we can to support you and ensure that students still have access to support and resources, whilst remaining safe and well. The circumstances we have all found ourselves in are unprecedented, and we understand that you’ll still have many questions about what happens next. We want you to be reassured that we are working with the University to ensure that students are kept informed and are not disadvantaged academically or financially.  

In the meantime, we’ve gathered some tips and guidance* on promoting and maintaining good mental wellbeing whilst at home. 

 

Make sure that your information sources are accurate and reliable. Avoid information-overload, as this can increase feelings of stress and anxiety. Try to ensure that you are not sharing any misinformation or panic-inducing materials – stick to facts and official guidance. 

Try to stick to a routine, even if your usual routine has been disrupted. It can be helpful to set yourself daily goals and continue to get up and dressed, even if you don’t plan to leave the house.  

Practise healthy self-care methods by making you have time for yourself to relax. This might mean indulging in a bubble bath, practising meditation or watching your favourite film. 

Keep up social interaction through social media and technology, but take breaks when you need to. Having the option to stay in regular contact with loved ones is great, but it’s also important to maintain boundaries when you need to.  

Find some new ways of virtually socialising with your friends. Try some multi-player games, throw an online Netflix Party (via the Google Chrome extension), or set up a group video call.  

Use time away from studying to learn a new skill, take up a new hobby or enjoy activities you usually wouldn’t have time to. Examples include: cooking or baking, reading, arts and crafts, creative writing, organising and decluttering. Some student groups are running online sessions, have a look on their social media channels to see what you’d like to try!  

Continue to exercise as much as possible. Along with obvious physical health benefits, exercising can be a great way of staying mentally healthy too. Try to get outside (following government guidelines) if you can, or try out one of many online workout videos or classes. 

Reach out for support if you need it. This is an unprecedented time and it may lead to unexpected feelings of anxiety, stress, sadness or loneliness. Remember that there is a lot of support out there if you need it. Look out for your friends, be kind and be thoughtful of others.  

 

We’ll be updating our Advice Service pages frequently over the coming weeks, to ensure that our guidance is up-to-date, relevant and fully informed. If you can’t find the information you need on our Advice service, then you can contact the service using the contact details below.

*Some of these tips have been inspired by information already shared by college welfare teams – thank you! You're all doing a wonderful job!

We're here to help. Whatever your question, big or small, the Advice Service is here for you through Covid-19.
☎️ helpline (available 09:00-17:00): 07922648802*
📨 email: dsu.advice2@durham.ac.uk
💻 online: click here

*Please note: the Advice Service helpline is not a crisis number, in an emergency please use 999 as usual.