A Wellbeing Welcome

Welcome all to Hive Vibes, our monthly wellbeing bulletin. We are Jack and Olivia, your wellbeing sub-editors for 2020-21!  

Now that the nerves (or hangovers) are settled from freshers and you’ve hopefully settled into your new home and studies, we’re here to provide a rundown on the past, present and future of wellbeing at UoM. As this is being created, BoJo’s mojo has been breathing life into the second lockdown, and we at Hive believe it’s now or never to find more festive feels.

Each month we’ll give highlights and links on What’s Happened, What’s Next and Final Words on looking after and receiving our dose of wellbeing.

What’s Happened

Hive Roundup:

Stoptober (how to quit addictive things – in a good way!) – Olivia Mak

Olivia touched bases on how to overcome that itch for excess by suggesting positive lifestyle changes from experts, as well as first-hand experience from the Hive writing team.

Self-harm and aggression: two sides of the same coin? – Matina Shafti

Matina’s brilliant sci-comm article presents a summary of her PhD project that explores the relatively unknown mental health condition of “dual-harm”.

Rounding off Manchester

DAGS: Our very own DAGS Society (Doctoral Academy Graduate Society) hosted their first social on 16/10. Themed on an Egyptain escape room and followed by casual conversation in separate breakout room teams, this zoom roomception was a rip-roaring success. Kudos to Ioana and the DAGS team for hosting a great show! For more info on DAGS, see their facebook page here

Sporticipate: After a long hiatus, Sporticipate finally started again, much to the delight of sport fans! We had almost forgotten the liberating feeling of swinging a badminton racket. Unfortunately, indoor sports shut down almost as quickly as they started with the constant change in guidance. 

The good news is that online sessions, such as yoga and high intensity interval workouts, are still going ahead (via Zoom)! So sign up, join others in spirit and enjoy keeping active in the comfort of your own home during these cold Winter months! 

Or if you’re more stoic than us, check out the range of outdoor activities available from Run Wild to Touch Rugby (subject to new lockdown!).

What’s next

In the Hive Pipeline

The Sound of Silence: The benefits of doing nothing – Read Jack’s upcoming article on how learning the simple trick of doing nothing can help stress, anxiety, mindufullness and to deal with the fast pace of modern society.

Autumn nature walks in Manchester to beat the lockdown blues – Have a leaf through Leoma’s seasonal guide on wonderful park wanders around the city.

In Faculty: 

Maggy Fostier and Catherine Porter are hosting an alternative zoom Watercooler Ponderings (Monday 9th) for FMBH. Check the training catalogue for booking (FMBHS5202)

In the UOM: 

UoM wellbeing calendar: Give is this month’s theme for 6 ways to wellbeing. Have a ganders on ways that you can Give.

Resources: The library is running an online writing retreat (via Zoom), as part of their My Research Essentials programme, over 2 days (on the afternoon of Tuesday 10th November and morning of Wednesday 11th November). So if you’ve got writer’s block and want to share your frustrations with fellow students, sign up via their website. 

In the World

Movember (1-30th November) – get out your razors and raise awareness for men’s health!

International Stress Week (2-6th November) – With a new lockdown in sight, perfect how to destress this week. Even better take a break now on National Stress Awareness Day (04/11)

World Kindness Day (13/11) – Keep calm, be kind.

Times to get Festive:

Final words

We know this continues to be a very strange and challenging time for a lot of people, especially with recent news of the nationwide lockdown. If you’re feeling lonely, stressed or just downright confused, please do reach out. There are many people within the university who care about you and want to support you. 

If you’re struggling to cope and need someone to chat to on a regular basis, the Students’ Union have just launched their new Buddies scheme which is open to PGR. They’ll match you up with a ‘peer buddy’ who will contact you a couple of times a week to chat and check how you’re getting on. Fill in the following form to sign up for a buddy. Weekly virtual drop-ins, held by the Doctoral Academy, are also running every Wednesday (enter Zoom ID: 913 7561 5673) throughout the semester (up to and including 16th December). 

If you have any questions or would simply like an informal chat and/or to network with fellow students, pop along any time between 12pm and 1pm! If you would like to talk to a counsellor, get in touch with the Counselling Service, who also offer regular meditation sessions and a series of virtual group workshops every month on everything from managing anxiety and dealing with low mood to social media and mental health. If you are self-isolating and need practical help, check out the support provided by the university, including an arrangement with Co-op Food for online deliveries. 

We all need a dose of positivity in these times and luckily, the UoM Wellbeing team are here to provide that boost. Remember that you’re never alone in how you feel; in the words of Dumbledore, “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light”.

Written by your friendly Wellbeing Sub-editors

If you would like to contribute wellbeing news, tips and tricks for next month’s bulletin, don’t hesitate to contact us!