Student Life in Durham
Posted on 6 May
Top Tips and Advice
Just as we exercise to maintain physical health, we should also ensure that we take steps to maintain our mental health.
Here are 5 steps to mental wellbeing:
Connect – connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Spend time developing these relationships..
Be active – you don't have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life.
Keep learning – learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. So why not sign up for that cooking course, start learning to play a musical instrument, or figure out how to fix your bike?
Give to others – even the smallest act can count whether it's a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks.
Be mindful – be more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness "mindfulness". It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.
(NHS, 2018)
The CityBlock Way
Being a part of CityBlock is much more than just renting a room. We are a family-run business, with over 16 years’ experience of welcoming students to our accommodation, and the wellbeing of our residents is at the heart of what we do.
- CityBlock have invested in mental health training, allowing onsite teams to identify any concerns, and we can signpost you to support with your relevant university.
- Our on-site lettings teams are always up for a friendly chat or a cup of tea. They want you to feel at home, and will go out of their way to get to know all residents by their first name. They can even help to introduce you to other students within CityBlock if you’d like to meet some new friends, or if you want to find someone with similar interests.
- We organise regular get-togethers on site, including pizza nights, games nights and quiz nights. All of these events help you to get to know other students within the accommodation blocks.
- Our buildings are designed to encourage students to get to know one another. In Reading, we have a huge communal space for everyone to socialise. In Lancaster, we have a beautiful outdoor courtyard full of greenery, and in Durham we have landscaped gardens for our students to relax in.
- Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference. From our CityBlock water bottles to keep you hydrated during stressful exam periods, to our huge umbrellas that are always available for walking to lectures on rainy days. We also offer a free book lending service, which includes textbooks and novels.
We also recognise that financial stress can have a knock-on effect on a student’s time at university. To assist with this we offer great value for money, with different room types to allow students to budget.
- All of our residents receive a CityBlock Card, which provides discounts and offers in the local area, helping you to make the most of your student loan.
- We offer flexible payment terms to ease the pressure.
- All bills are included, so there are no nasty surprises.
