Author: sophie.patrick

My top five things to do in Bristol 

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by Yunyan Li, Senior Resident 

1. A Morning Run

Having a morning run in Bristol is absolutely a fantastic thing. I will strongly recommend two areas: Harbourside and Clifton village (extending to the Ashton Court). In Clifton area, you could enjoy a sunrise with suspension bridge and river as background. You could also enjoy the natural and clean air near the Ashton court. If you want to treat yourself after exercises, there are a wide range of breakfast restaurants nearby. In Harbourside area, you could enjoy the special scene: a row of colourful houses.  You could also enjoy the peace of harbour and different kinds of boats parking on the side.  

2. Have a Rest in Brandon Hill 

If you are tired of shopping at Park Street, then Brandon Hill should be a place for you. If you are tired of studying in the library, Brandon Hill is also your best choice for relaxation. It is near the Education and Wills library. You can have a nice walk around the hill. You could also climb the Colston Tower to enjoy Bristol from the top.  

3. Ashton Court Deer ‘Hunt’

There are different deer under protection in Ashton court. If you are lucky, you might find them hanging around the in the park peacefully. It was so amazing to take a picture with these lovely deer during Christmas break (in a safe and friendly distance). In summertime, this park is great for a walk with nice scenery.  

4. Look for the footprint of Banksy  

Bristol is famous for the unexpected painting at different street corners. There are guided tour to show you these graffiti wall. Of course, you can look for these surprises with your friends. There are always some unexpected scenes at some corners.  

5. Take a boat trip 

Having a boat trip provides different perspectives for you to explore Bristol. A boat trip from the Suspension Bridge to the city centre can show you most famous scenes of Bristol. It is better to take a boat trip during summertime. With a blue sky, you could enjoy a more attractive Bristol. 

 

Community living: Moving from University Halls to private rented accommodation

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by Juntao He, Giulia Giani and Carlos Munoz Neira, Senior Residents

Moving out from University Halls sets a new challenge in your student experience. Unfortunately, COVID-19 pandemic contingency seems to be posing an additional load to this new episode of your life. Although moving to private rented accommodations may seem to be slightly overwhelming, it can also turn into an amazing experience. Community living will provide you with loads of skills useful for your adult life. It will also give you the opportunity to meet new neighbours from different ages and backgrounds. In this post we outline 7 tips that will make this process much easier, so we invite you to bear them in mind while you are moving from your beloved University Hall to your new accommodation.  (more…)

Food for Mood 3: How to make healthier snacks

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Saba James, the Nutrition for Wellbeing Lead from the National Centre for Integrative Medicine, shares three easy sweeter treats to avoid packaged cereal, chocolate bars and ice creams. This is the third of six cook-a-long sessions looking at how we can support our mood with food.

These healthy snacks include dark chocolate – full of magnesium and antioxidants. Dates, which offer a mellow, caramel sweetness with added fibre and minerals. Nuts, which help maintain stable blood-glucose levels with added protein and healthy unsaturated fats. Bananas, which are dense in fibre, prebiotics plus potassium, folate, vitamin C and lots of antioxidants plus they taste delicious.

Balancing our blood glucose helps stabilise our mood and energy which supports our stamina and focus during periods of revision and intense study. It is also essential to enjoy the sweeter things in life sometimes. (more…)

Food for Mood 2: How to make a healthy grain bowl

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In our second Food for Mood cookalong we learnt to make a simple recipe to include more wholegrains into our diet. In-tact whole grains, rather than flour-based and processed grains which dominate the western diet, are brimming with prebiotics that support a healthy microbiome which supports our mood and mental health.

Did you know that our gut microbes also produce some of our happy-hormone serotonin and our calming communicator GABA? Our gut (well, our lower intestines to be more specific) is made up of trillions of microbes that can help or hinder us by the species that dominate and how we feed them. The fibre and prebiotics in in-tact wholegrains feed healthier microbial strains which in-turn feed us with the hormones and neurotransmitters we need for a calmer mood and focused motivation. In-tact wholegrains are not the only feeders we can give our guts, a range of colourful beans, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruit can also do the job – alongside healthy proteins and fats to balance. (more…)

Know your stress signs and ease your exam stress

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by Jeongeun Park, Senior Resident

COVID 19 crisis, lockdown, being stuck at home, no parties, social distancing… I know you are already stressed out by the current government’s dos and don’ts. On top, a revision period is coming up and perhaps this makes you even more frustrated. First, it is NORMAL to feel anxious when having exams or essay deadlines to meet. Ok then, you may wonder how to cope with exam-related stress. 

Here are some tips suggested by the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) that I find useful to effectively manage my stress level. I know you are a busy person, so I sum up a few important points made.   (more…)

Find your wellbeing and support

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by Beth Robinson, Senior Resident

Whilst mental health awareness week has now passed, both mental health and wellbeing should and can continue to be a priority. As a student who also works for the University, I have often scrolled through different University websites in order to see what support is available. At ResiLife, we understand that stress at University can be due to multiple factors and so have devised a ‘go to’ list of excellent support services available depending on your own needs, including what the support is, a description of what it could offer, and how to get in contact if you think this could benefit you and/or someone you know – having a friend reach out can be incredibly valuable.

The areas covered here are:

  • Direct and general mental health and wellbeing support
  • Support for those who have encountered unacceptable behaviour
  • Support for disabled students
  • Financial, housing and careers support
  • Faith and cultural networks
  • University studies-related help
  • Support from the Students’ Union
  • Other resources, contacts and apps

(more…)

Mental Health Awareness week: Give

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Giving back to the community

by Grant Stevens, Senior Resident

Giving back to the community can be incredibly rewarding. It doesn’t have to be in big ways such as fundraisers or volunteering in a shop (but if you can do those then that’s great too) but can be from something as simple as litter picking or helping an elderly neighbour. (more…)

Mental Health Awareness week: Learning

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Wellbeing through learning

by Margaret Andrews, Senior Resident

Learning a new skill, or picking up an old one again, can provide a welcome change of scene and a new outlook! There are loads of opportunities to pick up at university that could help you try something new, improve on something old or just have fun! Anecdotally, at least, learning something new can be beneficial to one’s mental health as well, and so “learn” is listed as one of the five ways to wellbeing. (more…)

Mental Health Awareness week: Connect

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Best ways to meet new people at Uni!

by Will Chapman, Senior Resident in North Village

Connecting with new people can seem like a bit of a minefield, but meeting new people, or forming closer connections with current acquaintances, can bring fantastic benefits for your wellbeing. In this post, we highlight some activities that can be done in and around Bristol that can facilitate connection:   (more…)