Author: Student Communications

How to maximise your uni investment

Author Student Communications | Posted on

Have you ever taken the time to think about the considerable investment you are making by choosing to study at university? We’re not just talking about the money (although we know that’s significant ) – it’s also the time, energy and effort that you are putting into your degree.  

We want you to focus on really maximising that investment, and make some choices which will help you get the most out of your time here at UWE. 

What simple things can you do?

  • Attendance. Your course is the main reason you are here, right? And you are spending a lot of money for this teaching, so it doesn’t make sense to regularly skip classes. We know there might sometimes be reasons why you can’t make it onto campus, but try to plan your week to give you the best possible chance of attending those lectures. 
  • Engagement. It’s not enough to just turn up to lectures or teaching sessions, you need to really BE there. Be an active participant on your course and you really will see the benefits. What does this look like? Ask questions. Get involved in discussions. Do extra reading. Reply to emails. All of this will drastically improve your learning and help you get more out of your studies. 

Other ways to maximise your investment

It’s worth remembering that life as a UWE Bristol student gives you access to a huge range of support services and opportunities and it’s worth making the most of these. You’ve already paid for it, so take advantage of it!  

  • Careers and Enterprise – Start planning for your future now. Your time at uni will fly by, and you want to be in the best possible position when you graduate. Did you know that a careers coach can cost up to £250 an hour on the outside world? Here it’s completely free, so get booking!  
  • Student Money Service – Don’t let your financial situation get in the way of you excelling at uni. We have bursaries and grants on offer, and specialist advisers who can offer support and help you manage your money.  
  • Centre for Sport – The free MOVE programme gives you access to more than 100 weekly exercise classes and sessions, so make the most of this fantastic facility.  
  • Centre for Music – Looking to learn some new skills? Want to make some new friends? Check out the huge range of opportunities available on campus – membership is completely free! 

Hopefully all that info has given you something to think about. Remember, you only get out of something what you put in (it sounds like a cliche, but it’s so true). 

You’ve made a massive investment to be here – make the most of it! 

Ready for Placement? Don’t forget your vaccinations

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You’ve started your course, you’ve gone to lectures and you have your uniform ready. But don’t forget the most important thing before you start your healthcare placement!

Why get vaccinated?

Getting vaccinated isn’t just about protecting yourself, it’s about keeping everyone around you safe too. There are so many reasons to get your vaccinations before starting your healthcare course. We’ve listed a few below:

1. To protect vulnerable patients and the NHS

Number 1 is a big one! Due to the nature of your roles, you will be in close contact with patients who are immunocompromised, elderly, newborn, or have chronic conditions. Vaccination helps prevent transmitting infections to these vulnerable groups. Hospitals and clinics are also high-risk environments for disease transmission. Vaccinated staff help reduce the likelihood of outbreaks, which can disrupt services and endanger lives.

2. It’s part of the requirements for your course!

When you accepted your offer at UWE Bristol, you agreed to complete your compliance checks like a DBS check and health checks. You agreed to ensure your routine immunisations such as tetanus, diphtheria, polio and MMR are all up to date. Placement providers may require proof of vaccination before students can begin clinical placements, so make sure you’re sorted and not delaying the start of your placement. Putting off vaccinations can cause mountains of work in our placement teams, industry partners, administrative staff and programme teams. We’d really appreciate you giving us a hand and get your jabs sorted early!

3. Professional responsibility

Getting vaccinated is part of our ethical duty of care. Our placement providers and healthcare partners have codes of conduct and professional standards in their commitment to public health that we are proud to align with. Our future healthcare students will all have to undertake pre-employment screening to ensure they are safe to work.

4. Protecting your own health

Unfortunately, we know that university is a hot spot for infectious diseases. If you live in halls or attend lectures, you will be around a variety of people from various corners of the UK and even further afield, which means that bugs are bound to spread. Freshers flu aside, we’ve had historic outbreaks of measles, mumps, meningitis and of course COVID-19 on campuses, as well as local outbreaks in Bristol and South Gloucestershire. So, get jabbed. We don’t want any of our students or staff getting ill unnecessarily!

5. Make the most out of freebies and convenience

We want our students to be vaccinated to ensure everyone stays safe and can continue coming to their classes, placements and place of work. We’ve made it as easy as possible for you to get all the vaccinations you need; we will tell you what you need, give them to you for free and set up clinic days on Glenside campus for you to get them administered at a time convenient to you.

If you are a UK student you can check your vaccination status online.

The age of misinformation

All up to date evidence shows us that getting a vaccination is safer than not getting a vaccination. There is a lot of misinformation online about jabs. If you have questions and want to learn more, do your research using multiple, unbiassed and reputable sources. Always get your health information from trusted sources, such as the NHS or World Health Organisation.

I’m in, what next?

If you are a healthcare student, expect to hear about your Occupational Health checks via email before you start your course. For more information, visit our webpage, or contact us. You can also check your vaccination status online.

Interested in more?

Check out our blog on how you can prepare for your healthcare placement and how to get registered at our University health centre.

What to expect in your first few weeks

Author Student Communications | Posted on

Excitement. Nerves. Anticipation. It’s completely normal to experience a whole range of emotions as you start your university experience.

Knowing what to expect during those first few weeks can really help you prepare for what’s to come, and help ensure that you make the most of this opportunity.

Get settled into accommodation

If you’re moving out of home and into student accommodation then that can be one of the most exciting parts of your uni adventure. It might feel like there’s a lot to think about, but don’t worry – there’s tonnes of advice on this Student Life page.

If you’re going to be staying at home, then don’t worry. You’re not going to miss out on anything, and there are so many other students in the same situation as you. Plus there are even specific social events to help you meet new friends.

Starting Block

We know the whole experience might feel daunting, so we’ve developed Starting Block – a series of activities for you to get to know your teaching team and your coursemates.

Once you’ve registered, you’ll see Starting Block activities drop into your timetable so make sure you keep an eye on that and be ready to get stuck in so you get the best possible induction to university life.

Get out and meet people

An important part of university life is meeting new people and making connections. To help you do this, there are a huge range of events and activities you can get involved with, whether you’re the life of the party or you prefer something more low key.

This is your chance to shape your experience to suit you, so take a look at what’s on offer and start building your community.

Explore Bristol

If you’re moving here to Bristol you’ve made a great choice! It’s the perfect student city with so much to offer no matter what your interests are. Arts and culture? Check. Independent shops and restaurants? Check. Incredible nightlight? Check.

Get out there, explore everything and make new friends and memories along the way. Sites such as VisitBristol are a great way see what’s on, and find activities and events that suit your interests and budget.

Switching your mindset

Author Student Communications | Posted on

The move from school or college to university can feel a little overwhelming. Perhaps for the first time, you’re going to have to take responsibility for many aspects of your life – your education, your wellbeing, your finances.

Although it can seem intimidating at first, there’s so much support available to you to make sure you’ve got the help you need every step of the way. But you’ll need to reach out and access this support for yourself.

Switch your mindset now and start thinking about the ways you are going to need to be more independent. This new attitude will help you develop and grow, and ultimately allow you to have the best possible start to uni life!

  • You will be responsible for your own time – get organised. You’re likely to have competing demands on your time. You’ll have lectures to attend, projects to finish, friends to message and social plans to arrange. Add to that paid work, exercise, food and sleep, and it all starts to look a bit busy. Nobody is going to tell you how to stay on top of all this, time management needs to be your priority! If you think you need extra support with this, you might want to book an appointment with one of our Student Experience Coaches.
  • Things won’t get done if you don’t do them. Putting off an assessment, ignoring that looming deadline, forgetting to reply to that email from your lecturer. The only person that can do the things that you need to get done as part of your course is you. Bite the bullet, eat the frog – however you want to phrase it – stop procrastinating and tick off that To Do list to stay on top of your studies. Why not brush up on your study skills if this is something you struggle with.
  • You get out what you put in. There is SO much to love about university life and so many opportunities out there for you to make the most of. But these things aren’t just handed to you on a plate. If you want good marks in your assessments, you need to attend lectures and do the work. If you want to set yourself up for successful career when you graduate, then you need to go out and find internships and work placements so your CV is polished. If you want to travel abroad as part of your studies, then you need to do the research and work out how to make it happen.
  • Get to know who you are and what makes you happy. University is an opportunity to meet new people, take up new hobbies and learn new skills. While this is incredibly exciting and exhilarating, it’s also important that you know when to say no. Getting the balance right between pushing yourself out of your comfort zone while still knowing and enforcing your boundaries, is a tricky thing to learn.
  • Look after yourself. It sounds so basic, but nobody is going to remind you to drink enough water, eat nutritious meals, get an early night every now and again. But they are so vital if you want to stay healthy. You are now responsible for your own health and wellbeing so give it the attention it deserves.
  • Don’t be afraid to lean on old support systems and create new ones. Just because you’re here at uni doesn’t mean all your friends and family back home disappear. Make sure you keep in contact with them, especially if you’re finding things difficult. Also, work on building those support systems here at university as well, so that you feel like you have people to turn to when you need to.
  • Ask for help if you need it. Remember, although it’s down to you to manage your own university experience, you can access so much support here at UWE Bristol. Academic staff are available to answer your questions, the Student Money Service can help with budgeting, our Wellbeing services can support you when times feel tough. But you need to be the one to reach out and access all these services. If you’re going through a tricky patch, find the help that you need and make the most of it.

Why choose coaching? We asked you

Author Student Communications | Posted on

We spoke to Elizabeth Ellis, a Psychology with Criminology student to find out how the Student Experience Coaches helped with her degree.

What brought you to coaching?

I was struggling with multiple areas before accessing coaching:

  • Time management
  • Organisation (aka timetable, study schedule, routine)
  • Imposter syndrome and confidence
  • Deadline submissions – getting them in and on time
  • Attendance
  • Keeping on top of coursework
  • Managing overwhelm
  • Managing and prioritising my health alongside my studies – finding a healthy balance I can consistently maintain
  • Accessibility of workload – not knowing how to start and becoming ‘frozen’
  • Difficulty completing admin tasks – both for my personal life (that’ll positively impact my studies when complete, such as the ADHD referral form) and study-related
  • Memory and retaining information

What did you do in the coaching session?

During the coaching sessions I have gained:

  • A compassionate, empathetic, safe and non-judgemental space to be open and honest about how I am feeling – never being made to feel like my emotions don’t matter or are wrong.
  • Confidence – noticing my efforts and celebrating my ‘wins’ – (no matter how small they may seem on the outside) and therefore encouraging me to do the same for myself.
  • Recognition and consideration of the complex and direct impact health has on academic studies – especially living with mental and physical health issues which have often not been considered in the past in relation to academic performance and encouragement to prioritise and focus on looking after my health above all else.
  • Direction – knowing exactly what areas to focus on and where and how to start.
  • A personalised and tailored yet manageable action plan – formed together and broken down into doable steps.
  • Someone to bounce my ideas off of and help me be realistic so as to avoid overwhelm, whilst still encouraging me to have confidence in my ability to get things done and workload.
  • A mood-booster every time – a positive and empathetic person who is genuinely dedicated to enhancing my student experience and makes me feel supported and cared about.
  • Reminders of things I have mentioned in previous appointments and recognition of the growth in each individual area.
  • Autonomy and space to make each session completely unique and tailored to my individual needs that specific day – which has been invaluable for my fluctuating schedule, capacity, mood, motivation and energy levels.
  • Space to ‘body double’ hard tasks such as admin tasks, with timed check-ins so as to give support as and when I need and keep me on task.
  • Tools for time management, organisation and tasks that are specifically recommended for me and my needs.

What has been the impact of coaching?

Following the coaching sessions I have gained:

  • A personalised action plan after every session – breaking down the tasks we decided together and step-by-step to completing each task.
  • A reminder of what we discussed in the session and worked on – so I always have this to come back to and refresh my memory.
  • Flexibility and understanding – when it comes to having to reschedule due to unpredictable health, with at times slow replies, and having technical difficulties, and moving between face-to-face and online sessions.
  • Accommodation – willingness to offer extended or more frequent sessions during times of need and always having her inbox open for queries and concerns.
  • CONFIDENCE! I always leave sessions feeling a million times better than I began them feeling. My coach has truly been THE thing that has single-handedly improved my Study life – in all areas: my attendance, my grades, my deadline management, my time-keeping, my organization skills, my ability to find balance, my confidence in my academic ability (Achieving a 1st under her weekly sessions!), my boundaries with myself and others, my ability to be flexible and prioritise tasks, my understanding of my diet and sleep, implementation of healthy habits and a daily routine, my ability to listen to and honour how my body is feeling without judgement, my ability to celebrate every single win, the ability to break things down, tools to manage overwhelm, an ability to prioritise myself, and my passion for my studies.

I have gone from no confidence, to heaps of confidence under the guidance of my coach for the past year. I would recommend student coaching to anyone. I am so beyond glad and grateful I approached my coach in the library and we had our first session promptly after that – My university experience and quality of life alongside studying would not be in the place it is now if it wasn’t for her invaluable time and support.

To find out how the Student Experience Coaches can support your university experience, book an appointment online.

Need to resit? You got this!

Author Student Communications | Posted on

Have you had some results back that you weren’t expecting? While assessments can be stressful, resits and retakes bring a new element of anxiety to sitting exams, especially if you need to pass. It can be a knock to your confidence and feelings of worry and self-doubt may creep in. What is important to remember is that you are not alone. We’ve pulled together a collection of resources, services and handy tips to help you prepare to resit any assessment calmly and with the confidence to pass.

Firstly, get in the zone

To help set yourself up for success, you may need to put some healthy habits in place to help keep your mind and body in a good place.

  • Recognise this will be a stressful period. Although unpleasant, it is completely normal to feel nervous during this time. You won’t feel like this forever.
  • Setting up a routine will work wonders for your mental and physical health. Plan out your days and make sure you’re giving yourself enough time to have breaks, eat proper meals and get a good night’s sleep.
  • If you feel you are able, try and move your body or exercise, whatever that looks like for you. Research shows that moving your body alongside study is great for improving memory retention, relieving stress, boosting energy and strengthening focus.

Start to prepare

  • Set up a revision plan. It’s a bit boring and feels like it’s taking up precious time, but seeing what to focus on and when will help you plan your workload a bit better and avoid any last-minute cramming. The Student Success Coaches are great at helping with this. We’ll talk about them more in the study support section!
  • You might be tempted to immerse yourself in work at the moment, but rest and breaks are key to absorbing information. Try and plan in chunks of work punctuated with breaks away from what you are doing. Go for a walk around campus, get some sun on your face or grab lunch with a friend. Fresh air and new environments are your brain’s friends right now.
  • Go over your feedback. If you can pinpoint what didn’t go to plan in your first assessment, you can make sure you don’t make the same mistakes again. Set up a meeting with your personal tutor or programme/module leader to help understand how to improve. Alternatively, check out this web page to help you learn from your feedback.
  • Try a new approach to study. If you revised with one technique last time, why not try a new one? Try not to just passively read over stuff – make flash cards, colour code information, record yourself, draw diagrams or get a friend to test you. Check out this reel for more inspiration on study techniques.

We got you!

It’s our job to help you, so make the most of what’s on offer to make this resit period a little bit easier.

  • Our wonderful team of Student Success Coaches are specifically trained to help you through assessments and resits. Amongst other things, they can help you create a revision plan, learn from feedback, boost confidence, help with time management and be a non-judgmental listening ear to any issues you may have. You can meet with a coach face-to-face or set up a call, whatever suits you.
  • If you need to brush up on referencing or academic writing skills, our study skills page will be able to help. We also have college-specific study support, tailored for your subject.
  • If you are disabled or neurodiverse, this page details all the support you are entitled to including assistive technology and applying for reasonable adjustments.
  • The library run a huge variety of study workshops to help with assessments and resits, as well as support with assessing databases, learning materials and e-books. If you have a question, you can always Ask a Librarian on our 24/7 live chat service.
  • Remember to make use of your academic personal tutors, module leaders or programme leaders if you want to talk through anything or if you have a question.

Need someone to speak to?

If you are struggling, you are not alone. We have a huge range of resources to give you the help you need. This includes our Drugs and Alcohol service, The University’s Chaplaincy Team, the University Information Point and much more. We also have a 24/7 live chat through our Wisdom App which can connect you with trained counsellors.

And finally, remember, this is an opportunity give your assessment another shot. Learn from your mistakes but try not to dwell on them. Unlike the first time, you’ve been here before, so you know what to expect this time round. Keep your goal in mind and visualise yourself getting the result you want. Believe in yourself, look after your body and mind, and reach out for support if you need it. You’ve got this!

Moving Out or Having a Clear-Out? Donate to the UWE Sustainability Hub!

Author Student Communications | Posted on

Got stuff you don’t need anymore? Don’t bin it—donate it! The UWE Sustainability Hub is collecting clean, good-quality items to help new students moving in this September. It’s a great way to cut down on waste and help out your fellow students.

What’s the Sustainability Hub?


It’s your on-campus shop for free or super cheap second-hand stuff—crockery, clothes, small appliances, books, and more. You can swap your donations for tokens to spend, or just pick things up for around 20p. We also have bigger-ticket items like monitors and other electronics.

What Can You Donate?


We’re looking for:

  • Small household and electrical items (like kettles, plates, utensils)
  • Clothes, shoes, and bedding


Just make sure everything is:

  • Clean and in decent condition
  • Bagged up
  • Not broken, sharp, or unsafe


Where to Drop Stuff Off:


Donation points on Frenchay Campus:

  • Northavon House (ground floor lobby)
  • Outside the Sustainability Hub (Room 1D015)
  • Students’ Union (near reception)
  • Over the summer, you’ll also find extra donation bins in student accommodation bin stores—easy!

When’s the Hub Open?

  • We’re back from 10th September, and open longer during Move-In Week:
  • Wed 10 – Sun 14 Sept, 10:00–15:00
  • Regular hours: Tues–Thurs, 12:00–17:00

Why Bother?


Because it makes a real difference. From September 2024 to May 2025, over 20,000 students used the Hub, swapping more than 30,000 items. That’s 11.6 tonnes of waste avoided and 76 tonnes of CO₂ saved.

Tackling loneliness

Author Student Communications | Posted on

Loneliness is something that everyone feels at some point in their lives and each of our experiences are individual to us. It’s something which is particularly common at university. In fact, isolation and loneliness are two of the biggest problems facing current university students, both nationally and here at UWE Bristol.

Making friends and building connections at uni can be tough. It doesn’t come easy to everyone. You’re away from your usual support network, often living away from home for the first time, and it can get lonely sometimes.

If you’re struggling with feelings of loneliness, why not take a look at Mind’s website for tips and guidance.

We’ve also pulled together some information on how to build connections and meet others.

We hope you find this useful and remember to reach out to our Wellbeing Service if you’re finding things overwhelming. You can also find a range of self-help resources online.

Tips to help with loneliness

Watch this short video from Mind for tips to help you with loneliness.

Mind – connecting with others

Connect with others at the university

Events

A huge part of university life is meeting new people and making connections. To help you do this, there are a huge range of events and activities you can get involved with, whether you’re the life of the party or you prefer something more low key.

This is your chance to shape your experience to suit you, so take a look at what’s on offer and start building your community.

MOVE

MOVE is free for all UWE Bristol students and is designed to get you involved in activities that help you feel good and be active. There are a huge variety of classes and more than 100 weekly sessions. With so many different sessions available, you can try something new, take time to relax and meet lots of new people. 

The Centre for Music

Join the Centre for Music– a free, exclusive facility for all UWE Bristol students and staff. Sign up to get involved with one of their playing and singing groups, take advantage of the rehearsal rooms and studio space, or go along to any sessions or music lessons.

Volunteering

Volunteering is a great way to meet others, all whilst doing something great that makes you feel good. You can take part as little or as often as you like, and you’ll meet people whilst helping your community.

Connect with others through The Students’ Union

Events

The Students’ Union host a range of events throughout the year and try to cater to all tastes. Many students go along to events to meet new friends, so why not give it a try?

Societies

Get involved in a society! It’s a great way to meet like-minded people who share your interests, learn new skills and most importantly, have fun!

Connect with others in the community

Meetup

Meetup is a great way to meet other people in your local area. Browse groups by interest (like health and wellness, film, technology) or search for groups near you. Millions of people use Meetup and there should always be likeminded people nearby.

Time outdoors

Time outdoors provides a list of activity clubs in your local area, such as walking, running, climbing and cycling groups.

FriendMatch

FriendMatch works like a dating site, but matches people up with new friends rather than dates. Meet new friends near you, or connect with others around the world.

Do It

Volunteering is another good way to meet other people. Search opportunities near you using Do It, the national database of volunteering.

Find support in the community

Befriending

Sign up for an informal weekly phone chat with Changes Bristol Befriending Service. Befrienders are trained volunteers who are happy to listen to you speak about how you’re feeling, what challenges you’re facing and how you’re coping.

Student Space

Student Space offer free, confidential, one-to-one support by text, webchat, phone and email. They’re there to help with whatever challenge your facing whether it’s loneliness, mental health, studies, money, relationships or isolation.

Mind’s online community

It’s a powerful thing to connect with someone else over shared experiences. Side by Side is an online community where you can listen, share and be heard.

How to make the most of your Summer and get ready for your next steps!

Author Student Communications | Posted on

The Student Experience Coaches

Whether you are planning for resits; working to earn some money; taking time to relax and recoup; spending time with friends or family; or seeking out new experiences and places – or perhaps a combination of all these things, the summer holidays are here to make the most of.

This can be an opportunity to reflect on your achievements, consider areas of growth and plan your next steps. For those of you graduating from UWE Bristol we want to wish you many congratulations and all the best with your future journey.

We’d like to share our tips from across the Student Experience Coaching team and from our coaching sessions with students on how you can make the most of this break.

  • Bring in some structure and routine into days when you don’t have anything planned, this will support your wellbeing after the intensity of the last few months of uni.
  • Connect with others; learn and develop new skills; be in the present during your day; enjoy moments of kindness with others and spend time being active, ideally outside.
  • Get to grips with the UWE year ahead, perhaps when a placement might be happening, modules start etc. This way you can feel prepared and not on the backfoot.
  • Check out the support on offer at UWE on our website and think about what you might want to tap into for next year.
  • Explore opportunities for volunteering or ways to develop your skills. Dust off your CV and use the Careers Toolkit to practice for interviews and grow your employability skills.
  • Spend some time away from technology and engage in creative hobbies and activities.

And finally, book a Student Experience Coaching session to plan and manage your resits, your next year or your future. We can meet online or face to face and we’re here all Summer!

Coaching for resits – a case study

Author Student Communications | Posted on

The Student Experience Coaches

The Student Experience Coaching Team offers coaching to help you to manage and plan for any resits that you might have this summer. We are available for sessions either online or face to face.

One of our coaches shared their experience of coaching a Level 5 student who’s, goal was to achieve 55 – 60% in their assignment:

“During the coaching session, I opened the space for honest and true reflection. It became apparent that the student had extensive work experience in the field and therefore thought they should be able to complete the assignment easily.

They reflected that they hadn’t given the assignment the time that was required. They also hadn’t sought any support or help after the first referral. This was the huge turning point because it was the first time they had admitted to themselves what was standing in their way.

We explored what they wanted to be different this time, what it would take for this to happen and who they would need to be (in terms of action and attitude). The student had recently had success retaking another module, so we also homed in on what had worked then.

This came down to giving enough time to the assignment, seeking support from the Module Leader, acting on feedback and understanding the assignment brief. I also linked them with library resources to strengthen their academic writing skills. They left the session with an action plan to follow these steps.

Following the meeting, I was informed that the student did achieve their goal, passing with a mark in the high 50s.”

Get in touch to see how we can help you achieve your goals. experiencecoach@uwe.ac.uk or find out more on our website.