Hey May! The weather in Manchester so far has been more grey than yay. Bring us more of April’s sunshine, what d’ya say? We hope the sun is showing its face where all our non-Manchester-based readers are! With Mental Health Awareness week (10th – 16th) this month and the theme being nature, we encourage everyone to spend some time in the great outdoors whenever you can. Enjoy al fresco lunches if Mother Nature is being kind where you are, or sit on a bench during a break from work and simply watch the world go by. If you’re not lucky enough to hear the wonderful sound of birdsong, listen to live birdsong radio (yes, there really is such a thing!). 

What’s Happened

Hive Roundup:

When your research is so good someone else does it first – Nadine sees the positives and explains why panic-making mashed potatoes may not be the healthiest coping mechanism.

Dandruff: more than just an itch – Susan delves into the annoying white stuff and looks into what causes it, as well as treatments for it.

What’s next

In the Hive Pipeline 

Meditation apps: a review – Mindfulness meditation is all the rage and for good reason too, with benefits including increased calm and better sleep. Olivia reviews some common meditation apps and delivers her verdict. 

PhD-Overwhelmed? How to say Yes and No – True to the article’s eponym, Jack explores how to (finally) tackle the task of, well, daily surmounting tasks.

In the UoM:

Virtual Purple Wave (1st & 2nd May, 21st & 22nd May) –   Grab your trainers, prepare the after-run smoothies and sign up to this year’s virtual purple wave! You can enter for 2.5km, 5km, 10km and a Half Marathon depending on the dates. Check the link for more info.

Pint of Science festival (17th – 20th May) – Learn all about brains, robots and particles at the virtual Pint of Science festival!

The 4Ds of Distress: Distract, Dilute, Develop and Discover (14:00 BST, 14th May) –  Is your PhD getting you stressed? Learn how the 4Ds for dealing with distress can help you manage the pressures of PhD life better.

Around the world

Star Wars day (4th May) –  We won’t Leia this on you too much, but for a global geekfest then Luke no further.  May the fourth be with you, always.

Teachers Day (8th May) – For all tired tutors, practicing pedagogues and emphatic educators, this day appreciates people who can have a lasting impact.

International Nurses Day (12th May)- As a symbolic candle in the dark, nurses are the backbone of care for us all, and some of the truest heroes around.

Final words

It’s a moment many of us have been waiting for. Lockdown is finally easing in the UK, with indoor dining and recreation allowed from next week, along with meeting inside homes. While it’s exciting to finally start seeing a gradual return to something resembling normal life, it’s understandable that the easing of restrictions can bring its own anxieties, especially having spent more than a year not doing any of this! Remember that these feelings are normal and know that there is help on how to manage your feelings about lockdown easing. We’re all more resilient than we realise, and on that note, we’d like to end by quoting from a famous song:

“And we’ll rise up
High like the waves
We’ll rise up
In spite of the ache
We’ll rise up
And we’ll do it a thousand times again“

Written by your friendly Wellbeing Sub-editors 

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

(jack.sharpen@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk and olivia.mak@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk)