Looking After Yourself and Others

Wherever you’re spending your summer, our Advice Centre has put together some tips to help you look after yourself and make the most of the break.

Looking after yourself and others

The academic year has finished, and for many, it’s time for a well-earned break. With restrictions lifting, and vaccinations available to all over-18s, it’s likely you’ll be able to spend more time with family and friends than you have in the last year.

Remember to follow the most up-to-date government advice, and be sensible about what you’re doing to ensure you’re staying safe and protecting others. It’s important to also be mindful of other people’s boundaries - just because you’re able to go out to the pub, doesn’t mean that your friends are necessarily comfortable with that yet. There are also still lots of people who are clinically vulnerable, and unable to risk being in crowded spaces.

We know that for some, the summer break can be a difficult period - we’ve linked some support resources below if you’re struggling. Try to keep in touch with friends who you know may be in challenging situations, and offer support where you can. We have some more information about looking out for your friends available on our Advice web page.

Preparing for the next academic year

For many, the summer break will be an opportunity to earn some money in preparation for the year ahead and gain some valuable work experience. Now’s a good time to brush up on your employment rights to make sure you know how to deal with any issues- check out this super handy article from Save the Student to learn more.

You may also be moving out of your student house - check out our Leaving Guide to avoid any issues when checking out, and if you have any issues with your landlord or estate agent trying to take unfair deductions from your deposit get in touch with us for some advice. If you’re moving into a new house, we also have lots of information available on our website to help you with the process.

If you have academic work to get done over the break, whether that be resitting examinations, finishing off your dissertation or completing research, it’s important to maintain a good work/life balance. Here are our top tips for building a healthy routine:

• Work out what you need to get done over the break and split this into manageable sections to tackle one at a time.
• Make sure to build in time each day to go outside - getting enough sunlight will be invaluable to boost your mood, and getting exercise each day will help to tackle any holiday stresses.
• Focus less on productivity - while this may seem counterintuitive, beating yourself up when you don’t manage to get everything on your to-do list for the day done won’t be helpful in the long run. If you’re struggling with “toxic productivity” check out this video for some tips about how to tackle it.
• Practice digital wellbeing to keep an eye on how you’re engaging with social media.
• Make time every day to practice self-care - check out our article about mental health and wellbeing for some ideas!

Support available

We know the holidays can be a difficult time for many people, for various reasons. If you’re finding it difficult to cope, there are services available over the break to offer you support.

The University’s Student Wellbeing service is confidential and free for you to use. Their team is available over the summer period to offer support - just drop them an email.  

In the event of a mental health crisis, the emergency services can be contacted at any time by calling 999. For advice about urgent issues, you can also call 111. The Samaritans also offer 24/7 support, just call 116 123, or email them at jo@samaritans.org.

Additionally, Student Space (from Student Minds) are offering free phone, email and live chat support from 4-11pm and 24/7 text support, as well as loads of useful resources for students during the coronavirus pandemic.

For LGBT+ students who may be experiencing difficulty at home, Outline Surrey offer a helpline on 01483 727667. akt also offer support for LGBT+ youth (aged 16-25) experiencing homelessness, or hostile living situations - you can contact them via live chat.

If you’re experiencing domestic violence or abuse, Refuge has a 24/7 helpline on 0808 2000 247, and a live chat available weekday evenings. In an emergency, always contact 999.

Further Support

The Advice Centre is a free, independent and confidential service for all students here at Royal Holloway. Our friendly, experienced and professional staff will provide a listening ear and offer general and specialist advice. We’re here to support you with a whole range of issues, big and small, and if we’re not the best people to help you with a particular issue, we’ll point you in the right direction.

Email us at advice@su.rhul.ac.uk with any questions or to ask for an appointment.