Tag: Student Experience Coaches

Coaching for Architecture and Environment students

Author Student Communications | Posted on

Need motivation? Want to get on track with your studies? Looking for help preparing for assessments and deadlines? Your Student Experience Coaches are here to support you.

Holly Adlem (L) and Hannah Embleton-Smith (R)

Your School of Architecture and Environment coaches are Holly Adlem and Hannah Embleton-Smith, and they offer tailored one-to-one coaching sessions designed to help you with the following:

  • Managing key transitions
  • Improving time management
  • Building confidence
  • Identifying strengths
  • Enhancing motivation
  • Reducing anxiety, stress, and overwhelm
  • Identifying tools and techniques to support progress and overcome barriers.

Each session is student-led, with goals defined by the individual.

Together, you explore your strengths, challenges, and emotions, and co-develop a practical and realistic action plan to support your personal, academic, and professional growth.

Please contact Holly or Hannah for further information by emailing experiencecoach@uwe.ac.uk or you can book an appointment on Infohub.

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.

5 Ways to Manage Motivation

Author Student Communications | Posted on

By Student Experience Coaching

As the flowers and sunshine are brightening our days it’s a good time to think about what matters to you, and how tapping into this for motivation can help your student life and studies.

No matter what your goals are, there are strategies you can use to harness your motivation to keep on track as we move into the last few months of the academic year.

  1. Reconnect with Your ‘Why’ – Remind yourself why you started your course and what excites you about your subject. Keeping your long-term goals in mind can help boost motivation when you’re feeling stuck.
  2. Break It Down – Big tasks can feel overwhelming. Split them into smaller, manageable steps and celebrate progress along the way. This makes studying feel less daunting and more achievable.
  3. Create a Study Routine – Motivation often follows action (not the other way around!) Set a regular time and place to study, and use techniques like the Pomodoro method (25-minute focus sessions with 5-minute breaks) to stay on track.
  4. Make It Enjoyable – Find ways to make studying more engaging. This could be through study groups, changing locations, using colourful notes, or rewarding yourself for completing tasks – it really works!
  5. Be Kind to Yourself – Motivation naturally fluctuates. Instead of being hard on yourself during low-energy days, focus on what you can do and take small steps forward. Progress, not perfection, is key.

The Student Experience Coaching team is here to discuss your challenges and support you to find ways forward.

  • We can help you tap into what motivates you and help you weave that into a plan to succeed.
  • We can explore, unpack and reduce feelings of stress, overwhelm and procrastination providing a safe space, to really look at what’s going on and develop a plan of action.
  • We can future plan with you to grow those feelings of excitement and help you gain clarity around your next steps.

Find out more about us and book an appointment here

Why You Can’t Focus (And What to Do About It)

Author Student Communications | Posted on

By Dr. Aaliyah Khan, Senior Student Experience Coach

Do you ever sit down to study, only to find yourself scrolling through your phone, staring out the window, or suddenly remembering that you really need to clean your desk? You’re not alone. Staying focused can feel impossible, especially when distractions are everywhere. But before you blame yourself for a “lack of willpower,” let’s break down why focus is so hard—and what you can do to fix it.

1. Your brain is overloaded

Between lectures, assignments, social life, and personal responsibilities, your brain is constantly juggling information. When your mental load is too heavy, it becomes harder to concentrate.

Fix It: Give your brain some breathing room by breaking tasks into smaller steps. Use tools like to-do lists or planners to offload information from your mind, making it easier to focus on one thing at a time.

2. Digital distractions are everywhere

Your phone, laptop, and social media apps are designed to grab and keep your attention. Every notification, message, and update pulls your focus away from your work.

Fix It: Set up “focus time” by putting your phone on silent, using website blockers, or studying in a distraction-free environment. Try the Pomodoro technique—work in short, focused bursts with breaks in between.

3. You’re not in the right environment

Your surroundings can make or break your concentration. Noise, clutter, or even the wrong lighting can make it harder to focus.

Fix It: Create a study space that works for you. Whether it’s a quiet library, a tidy desk, or a café with background noise, find an environment where you can work at your best.

4. You haven’t trained your focus

Focus is like a muscle—the more you train it, the stronger it gets. If you constantly switch between tasks, your brain struggles to stay on track.

Fix It: Practice deep work by setting aside time for uninterrupted concentration. Start with just 10–15 minutes and gradually increase your focus stamina over time.

5. Your energy levels are low

It’s hard to concentrate when you’re running on empty. Lack of sleep, poor nutrition, and dehydration can all sap your focus.

Fix It: Take care of your body! Prioritize sleep, stay hydrated, and fuel yourself with brain-friendly foods like nuts, fruit, and whole grains.

Ready to Fix Your Focus?

If you want to understand your distractions and learn practical ways to sharpen your concentration, join our Fix Your Focus workshop. You’ll discover how to take control of your attention and finally get things done.

Date: Wednesday 26th February, 4pm-5.30pm Location: Room 5X102, Frenchay Campus

Limited spaces, book your place on our registration page.

Tips for managing your studies over the holidays

Author Student Communications | Posted on

If you’re heading home from the holidays, then you might need to build a new routine to allow you to take the time to rest and recharge, while still keeping on top of any studying you need to do.

Finding that balance can be really tricky, especially if you are someone who finds it difficult to self-motivate and make the most of scheduled study time so you can properly switch off and relax once the work is done.

Our Student Experience Coaches have been working with lots of student during this first semester, helping them unlock the skills they need to overcome any obstacles and manage their wellbeing.

Here they share some tools, tips and techniques that you might be able to use over the holidays to ensure you return in January feeling ready for the new term.

  • Action plan – creating an action plan can help you feel more control of your time and avoid overwhelm. If you break down tasks and create smaller deadlines, it could help make things feel more manageable.
  • Lists – writing things down can provide structure. Some people enjoy the “feel good” factor of ticking off tasks and reflecting on what they’ve achieved.
  • Rewards – building rewards into your timetable/planner can give you something to look forward too and provide a break from studying and university life.
  • Journaling – expressing your thoughts and feelings in one space is a helpful way to explore ideas.
  • Exercise – doing something that requires movement, even something simple like going out for a walk and being out in nature, can be a great way to manage your wellbeing.
  • Rest – planning in time to rest and recharge is important to enable you to return to studies fully focused and energetic.
  • Self-care – remember to prioritise your self-care. Identify activities that you find genuinely nourishing and relaxing.
  • Support – find the right support to help you at university, with your student life and studies. This could be specialist support, or just turning to your lecturer or your friends and family.
  • Be kind to yourself – Finally, remember to be nice to yourself. Acknowledge everything you’ve got going on and the progress you are making to manage your workload and wellbeing while at university.

The service will be closed from 24th December – 2nd January and drop-ins will not be available from 23rd December – 3rd January.

But if you would like to set some goals to manage your wellbeing and stress whilst at university, please get in touch with our Student Experience Coaches after the winter break to book an appointment. They can help you break down challenging tasks and create an action plan so you can stay on track.

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