It’s Okay To Ask For Help

Through my two and a bit years a to university, I have discovered something…university is hard! Okay, that was a no brainer, but also through these two and a bit years I’ve talked to a lot of people who were struggling, and yet didn’t turn to anyone for help. I’m here to stress to you that, yes, university is an establishment designed to encourage independence, however that does not mean you cannot ask for help. So here’s a couple of really simple ways that you can access the help you need!

Academic:

So you’re finding an assignment really tricky; the brief confuses you, and you just can’t get started…there’s no shame in that; I’ll reiterate, university is hard! However, the big difference between sixth form/college and university is that your lecturers don’t see you ever day, so they can’t telepathically know that you’re struggling.

All your lecturers are there to help you, you just need to reach out. Email is usually a good option for a quick response, however if  you’re looking for a more in depth chat, have a look at your lecturer’s office hours. Office hours are a couple of hours set aside where your lecturer will be in their office and you’re more than welcome to just drop in, or you can email ahead to let them know you’re coming.

Or why not speak to your course rep, someone around your age, who probably has similar questions and can help sign post you in the right direction.

Pastoral:

Feeling down? Things not working out in your flat in halls? Are you lonely? Universities understand that life alone can be tricky, so here at Leicester there’s plenty of places to go if you need help. The easiest way to find out what’s available is to go onto the Students’ Union website, and click through all the options in the Support tab. There’s pretty much everything you can think of, from support from other students as well as advice for the future.

There’s plenty of options, whether that’s getting in touch via email or the phone, or dropping in to a session held in the SU building itself. This is equally applicable if you’re concerned about a friend, you can equally ask for advice, if you don’t think they will reach out.

It’s not always easy asking for help; sometimes you’ll feel embarrassed, if you believe your question is stupid, or daunted that you want to bring up a big topic in your life. But, despite that, it’s important to know not only are you not alone but also that all the people around you at university want you to succeed, why stop yourself because you feel shy about asking a question?

Take Care Everyone, I’ll Speak To You All Soon!