Making the Most of the Summer Break

The academic year has finished, and for many, it’s time for a well-earned break.

If you’re planning on partying all summer long, remember we have advice available to help you make informed decisions about your mental wellbeing, alcohol consumption, and sexual health.

For many, the summer break will be an opportunity to earn some money in preparation for the year ahead and gain some valuable work experience. Now’s a good time to brush up on your employment rights to make sure you know how to deal with any issues, check out this super handy article from Save the Student to learn more, and remember that you can access lots of advice and information about your employment rights from Citizens Advice or ACAS.

The University’s Careers Service advertises jobs and vacation schemes/internships if you are in the process of searching for one. We understand that the job market is tight at the moment but we advise you to keep an open mind when applying for jobs or placements. You can also book an appointment with the Careers team if you need help with your CV or preparation for the job application process.

You may also be moving out of your student house, check out our Leaving Guide to avoid any issues when checking out, and if you have any issues with your landlord or estate agent trying to take unfair deductions from your deposit get in touch with us for some advice. If you’re moving into a new house, we also have lots of information available on our website to help you with the process.

Preparing for the next academic year

If you have academic work to finish over the break, for example, resitting examinations or completing your dissertation, it’s important to maintain a good work/life balance. Here are our top tips for building a healthy routine:

• Work out what you need to get done over the break and split this into manageable sections to tackle one at a time.
• Make sure to build in time each day to go outside - getting enough sunlight will be invaluable to boost your mood, and getting exercise each day will help to tackle any holiday stresses.
• Focus less on productivity - while this may seem counterintuitive, beating yourself up when you don’t manage to get everything on your to-do list for the day done won’t be helpful in the long run.
• Practice digital wellbeing to keep an eye on how you’re engaging with social media.
• Make time every day to practice self-care

Support available

We know the holidays can be a difficult time for many people, for various reasons. If you’re finding it difficult to cope, there are services available over the break to offer you support.

The University’s Student Wellbeing service is confidential and free for you to use. Their team is available over the summer period to offer support, simply drop them an email. 

In the event of a mental health crisis, the emergency services can be contacted at any time by calling 999. For advice about urgent issues, you can also call 111. The Samaritans also offer 24/7 support, call 116 123, or email them at jo@samaritans.org.

Additionally, Student Space (from Student Minds) is offering free phone, email and live chat support from 4pm -11pm and 24/7 text support, as well as loads of useful resources for students.

For LGBT+ students who may be experiencing difficulty at home, call Outline Surrey via their helpline on 01483 727667 or contact akt on live chat, who also offer support for LGBT+ youth (aged 16-25) experiencing homelessness, or hostile living situations.

If you’re experiencing domestic violence or abuse, Refuge has a 24/7 helpline on 0808 2000 247, and a live chat available weekday evenings. In an emergency, always contact 999.

Further Support

Our friendly advisors hold drop-ins in-person and on Zoom every Tuesday from 1.30pm-3.30pm and these will continue to run throughout June and July. You can find more information on our events calendar on how to join the drop-ins.

Email us at advice@su.rhul.ac.uk with any questions or to ask for a different meeting time.