By Jasmine Burke, Wellbeing Editor
Jasmine Burke interviews Ellie Leopold, the incoming chair of the Wellbeing Network about Mind Your Head: a series of events targeted towards improving student wellbeing during the exam period.
So, what exactly is the Wellbeing Network?
The Wellbeing Network is a network for students at the University of Bristol. The network aims to increase community spirit and improve the wellbeing experience of all the students at Bristol. It provides an opportunity to socialise, discuss and campaign on issues relating to students' wellbeing and mental health at Bristol.
And what is Mind Your Head?
Mind your Head is a campaign that’s been running for a few years now, just before or around exam time because that is when students get particularly stressed. All of the events are centred around the five ways to wellbeing: connect, give, keep learning, take notice and be active. They provide an opportunity for students to reflect on how they can improve their wellbeing, as well as hopefully push them to take a break from revision and working to deadlines, as it is so easy to become wrapped up in deadlines and exams. This year it runs from Monday 29 April until Monday 3 June.
Are there any events that students should particularly look out for?
How to Co-Create Wellbeing with Alan Bec: Tuesday 7 May
The event is led by Alan Bec, who has invented what he calls the WIB - the Wellbeing Indicator Badge. He uses this badge to explore looking into yourself and then outwards and learning to express your wellbeing levels; making mental health something that we can all see and talk about. The workshop will look at how the badge is supposed to work and explore other ways in which students can talk about their wellbeing. Get your free ticket for this event here.
The Wellbeing Workshops: Various dates
Many students still do not know who their wellbeing advisor is or how to contact them. So, these workshops are organised with the intention of humanising the wellbeing advisors more. They are a chance to meet the advisors and get more information about how to contact them, whilst also participating in workshops centred around exams, mental health and self-esteem.
And are there any events that you in particular are looking forward to?
As a psychology with innovation student, I am definitely looking forward to the co-create event that I mentioned. I want to see how the badge works and how people react to them from an innovation perspective. I am also looking forward to:
Science of Happiness & the good life lecture: Friday 10 May
I have been a mentor for the science of happiness lecture series over this term and I have enjoyed going to those and learning about happiness from a scientific perspective. Also, Professor Laurie Santor - the lecturer from Yale that is joining Professor Bruce Hood looks really interesting. She is a young female doing really cool research and I am excited to see what she has to say. Get free tickets to this event here.
Wellbeing open forum: Thursday 9 May
I am really looking forward to this event, as it is a chance for all students to come along and see what we are doing as a wellbeing network at the moment. The topic of this forum is 'Student Mental Health - whose responsibility is it?' and we want to see whether students think that they should be doing more to help with eachother's mental health or whether the University should be doing more and what the University could do. We then intend to discuss how we can make these changes happen. Get free tickets to this event here.
Is there anything else that you would like people to know?
This time of year can be stressful, so try and remember the five ways to wellbeing and reach out to your friends and wellbeing support - it will all be okay in the end. Also, feel free to reach out to the Wellbeing Network's Facebook page, or me personally if you have any thoughts or queries.
Finally, look out for the events! You can find and book tickets to all of them here on the SU website and we will be posting reminders to our Facebook page.
Featured Image: Bristol SU
If you want to get involved in Mind Your Head, follow the SU Wellbeing Network's Facebook page, or visit the SU website here.
