WMHD: How to build community and boost resilience
With most exciting things comes a little bit of nerves too. Moving out for uni is one of those things, but being away from home and having to embrace more independence can put a little bit more pressure on feeling out of your depth.
We understand how the whole process can feel – from helping you move in, seeing you study, and welcoming you home each time you go out, we can see first hand the ups and downs of living away from home and stepping up to the challenge of higher education. In the last year, 59,000 students across the UK contacted our partners at Shout for support with their mental health. We see you and with our partners, we want to share with you ways that you can make the most of your uni experience.
We’ve explained before why it’s important to build community, but how can you take action to give yourself that well needed support? For this World Mental Health Day, we’re giving you some ways and encouragement to help you establish a community that gives you the resilience you need to thrive at uni and beyond.
Top Tips
Head to your shared spaces
Most things are better when we do them together. If you live in a studio or apartment, or in an en suite and want to get even more social, head to the onsite spaces and meet more of the residents at your site. Start a conversation in the gym, ask for a game of pool in the lounge or start a jam in one of our music rooms.
Get involved with social events
To build a community, you’ll need to go out and find one. If you’re a little shy to start a conversation in our spaces, we hold regular events that can give you great conversation starters and reasons to chat to people – plus you could get some great freebies to take home with you too. Our Clubs also help you meet other residents with the same interests. When you find the people that you click with, take equal responsibility for setting up coffee dates and dinners to keep that connection going. Having a group that you get on with is great for when you need someone to go to in more challenging times.
Our SupperClub is a great way to instantly connect with other people. As influencer Zaynah shared with us at our Feel Good summit earlier this year, “food is usually at the heart of a culture, the heart of a community...things like communal dining and group events can instantly bring people together”.
Be supportive
On living with strangers, Dr Ariele Noble describes how building rapport is “about leaning into each other and listening, showing you care”.
Whether you’re in class or hanging out with your mates, being open and supportive is a great way to build a sense of community with the people around you. Try opening your door to be a shoulder for your neighbours, giving your classmates help with their projects or even just listening to someone who’s having a not-so-good day. Being someone supportive for others can even help our own mental health, so give yourself a little feel good boost by giving out some well deserved compliments.
Stay connected with yourself
Building a community is important, but it’s also important to stay grounded and connected to yourself. When putting yourself out there, Dr Ariele Noble stresses that it’s key to “check in with yourself. It really all starts from the inside out”. You’re going out and getting involved to be happy, so if stepping out of your comfort zone is causing too much stress, it’s super important to take a step back and take time for yourself to catch your breath. By “tending to your own wellbeing...that is how we best connect and engage with others”.
Hear from the expert
Building a community is a big support for your mental health. In partnership with Shout, we caught up with Dr Ariele Noble to answer your questions on how to get out of your comfort zone, find your tribe and make the most of this new and exciting uni experience. Find the full video here.
