Food for Mood – Recipe 2

Towards the end of last year we ran a series of online cookery workshops for students in residences to attend in partnership with NCIM, promoting healthy eat for healthy minds. Our gut bacteria are constantly communicating with the brain through the nervous system. Keeping them robust and healthy with prebiotic foods like sweet potato, apple and mushroom not only feeds the bacteria but reduces inflammation, and creates Vitamin B and K which support brain energy and growth (more…)

Food for Mood – Recipe 1

Towards the end of last year we ran a series of online cookery workshops for students in residences to attend in partnership with NCIM. We will be running more of these sessions online and in person over the rest of the academic year. Keep an eye on our weekly newsletter to find out when!

Missing meals, long nights, relentless studying, and too much time online can make us feel lethargic, anxious, and make us more susceptible to illness  Chronic stress, uncontrolled blood sugars and hormone imbalance creates lots of inflammation in the body. In the first session we learnt how to control many of these issues by cooking with fibrous, colourful vegetables and good sources of protein that control glucose spikes! Give this recipe a try and find out for yourself!  (more…)

My experience as a ‘Disabled’ Student

by Charlotte O’Brien, Senior Resident

As it’s Disability History Month I thought it would be a good opportunity to share my experience as a ‘Disabled’ student. Why do I italicise disabled? Calling myself disabled doesn’t really suit me as I don’t have a physical disability and personally, I see myself able to do what most non-disabled people can do it’s just I may do things in a different ways or experience things differently. This means it can be very difficult for me and others in my situation to be recognised, taken seriously and get the support we need as you cannot see that we may need specialist support in some way. (more…)

Top tips from the Chief & Senior resident team!

by our Chief and Senior Residents, compiled by Sophie Bridgewater, Student Community Coordinator

We hope that you are settling in well, and have started to gather some top tips of your own! In the meantime here are a few suggestions from the Residential Life Chief and Senior residents to help make living in residences go smoothly, as well as some exciting places in Bristol to check out! (more…)

Your Student Life: Balancing Studies and Physical Health

by Kien Le, Wills Hall resident 2021-22, 2nd yr Sociology BSc

Life as a University student is one of the best experiences of our lifetime. It’s the moment you start to shape your future. As much as we wish for a Uni life full of nostalgic memories to look back on, the two most important things that students are advised to focus on are studying and staying healthy. Here are some great tips to help you balance your knowledge and health at University. (more…)

Settling in with new flatmates

by Kien Le, Wills Hall resident 2021-22, 2nd yr Sociology BSc

Is it your first time staying at the University of Bristol Halls? Are you feeling insecure about a brand-new life with brand-new people? While settling in with flatmates may be a stroll in the park for some, there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of if you have your own concerns. Even siblings sometimes struggle to set aside their differences, let alone flatmates.

The key is to build and maintain good connections between each other; usually decided by your first interactions. Here are some simple tips when settling in with your new housemates: (more…)

Bristol Summer Events!

by Aditya Palve (Senior Resident), Abhishek Gautam (Chief Resident) & Tanuj Sharma (Senior Resident)


Brist
ol Tattoo Convention – 8th-10th July

Photo by Allef Vinicius on Unsplash

The Bristol Tattoo Convention is returning to Ashton Gate Stadium in 2022. Over 250 artists from all 4 corners of the globe will attend and over 30 trader stands will be present. There will be live music on both days from “The Old Time Sailors” who will be performing Matinee shows from 1pm-3pm. Demon Drome “Wall Of Death” will be performing 6 shows each day. There is a free bus service with buses running in a circular direction all weekend from Bristol Temple Meads Station, The Bristol Hotel on Prince Street, Broad Quay in the city centre then up to Ashton Gate Stadium. For ease of transportation, buses will be operating every 10-15 mins, traffic depending.

Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol, BS3 2EJ

(more…)

World Refugee Day

by Aimee Andrew, Residential Life Advisor

June 20th marks World Refugee Day which is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the globe. It is a day to celebrate the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution and to build empathy and understanding about this important issue.

When I was at university, I volunteered with Student Action for Refugees at a hostel for incoming refugees in Birmingham. This was an incredibly rewarding experience in which we ran a children’s playgroup to give parents some respite from childcare duties and to provide a welcoming and hospitable face in the hostel. I enjoyed this experience so much, and would recommend this to everyone, as it felt great to be able to make a tangible difference in the lives of newly arrived refugees. (more…)

A blog about Loneliness

by Freya Selman, Senior Resident

Freya is studying Social Work MSc and is in her 4th year at UoB, and her first year being a Senior Resident. Coco is a 2 year old miniature poodle. Freya was not able to get Coco’s explicit informed consent too share these pictures, as she is still working out how to go about it!

Loneliness is a horrible feeling, and it is definitely not as simple as just ‘deciding’ to not be lonely. It’s also something that people don’t often talk about. When feeling lonely, it’s so easy to see other people with all their apparent friends and assume that we are the only ones. We aren’t though. In fact, the more I’ve spoken to people, and tried to be more open about feelings of loneliness, the more I realise that there are very few people (if anyone at all!) who doesn’t feel lonely. Ironically, you are never alone in feeling lonely, and there will always be someone out there who will help you to feel supported. With time, you can also become that person for yourself. (more…)

Loneliness

by Santiago Ayuso Arcas

“It’s ok not to be ok” or “it’s normal not to be normal” are two quite concurrent mottos we can all see or hear around us. I myself have seen several promo posters in both train stations, Temple Meads and Lime Street, in my last trip to Liverpool. Having said this, one may well wonder, is it normal to be a loner? Is it ok to seek loneliness from time to time? Or, if I’m a loner, must I always find refuge in loneliness? Well, here I will throw a couple of reflections based on my experience as a PhD student, which means a “part-time” mandatory loner. (more…)