Swansea Student Well-being and Self-Care

ateasevalphillips
Nov 8
4 min read

As the buzz of freshers and excitement of Halloweekend passes, you might notice your energy is low as you transition from one season to another. Perhaps you're increasingly aware of the amount of work ahead of you, and maybe the space between now and your next break feels long. Now is the perfect time to pause and commit to your own well-being. Here are ways to support your mental, physical and social health in the next couple of months.

Embrace the Environment

Swansea offers beautiful greenspaces and seaside views that are lovely for switching off. You could go for a jog in Singleton Park, or make a flask of coffee and walk to a bench by the beach – it doesn’t need to be complicated, it just needs to be done regularly.

Tip: Set aside at least two short outings a week: aim for 20-30 minutes of brisk walking or gentle jog. When you are feeling stressed, treat this time outside as an essential study break, not a luxury that needs to be earned.

Use Your University’s Support Services

If you feel stressed, anxious or just out of sorts, you’re not alone – and there are help options. You can reach out to your personal tutor, or a trusted lecturer. A problem worth having is worth sharing, and by starting the conversation you are opening the door for support.

Tip: Locate and bookmark the student-services page of your university now, and note the name of one contact you’d feel comfortable reaching out to should you need. Sometimes the mere awareness of support lowers stress.

Manage Your Study Load and Deadlines

The run up to Christmas can bring intense periods due to assignments, presentations and exams. Without good planning, it can feel overwhelming. Why not try one of these suggestions?

Create a mini-schedule for between now and your next break that includes sessions for study, time for rest, space for being social and blocks for exercise.
Use small blocks of time wisely, instead of all day forcefully. 20-minute “Pomodoro” sprints can help you gain momentum. We’ve written a blog about this before, you can have a read of that here: www.at-ease-therapies.com/post/using-the-pomodoro-technique-to-manage-overwhelm
Recognise when you’re procrastinating because of dislike or stress. Treat yourself firmly or gently depending on your needs.

Tip: Choose a time each week to plan the week ahead. Write down what is necessary in one colour, and extra things in a different colour. Include one time slot in the week where you do something purely for yourself that brings you joy.

Stay Social and Connected

Feeling isolated is a major risk for student wellbeing. In a city like Swansea, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. You can protect yourself from this by joining a campus society or sports club, going for coffee with flatmates or classmates after lectures, or making a phone call or facetime at least once a week to someone who gets you. Social connection supports your emotional health.

Tip: If you’re feeling stuck, reach out to Student Union events as they often run activities aimed at bringing peers together.

Take Care of Your Physical Health

Your mind is intimately connected to your body. In cooler months in Wales, it’s easy to let healthy habits slip. Consider these three things:

Sleep: aim for consistent bedtimes. A full night’s rest helps your brain process learning and emotions.
Nutrition: Good meals matter. If budgets are tight, plan simple recipes using food from the reduced section, and shop for bulk deals when possible.
Movement: As above, even short walks help. On super rainy days, an indoor stretch or dance session is beneficial.

Tip: Choose one physical habit to focus on until Christmas. Something like, “I promise myself I will have a 20 minute walk every other day” or “I will prepare easy healthy snacks for the week”, and treat it as non-negotiable.

Recognise When You Need Extra Support

It’s normal to feel low, anxious, tired or overwhelmed from time to time, especially during the run-up to Christmas and New Year, when pressures can mount. But if you notice persistent changes such as trouble sleeping, low mood stretching for weeks, difficulty with everyday tasks - reach out and seek help. Here at @Ease, I offer echo-therapy based in Swansea and online counselling too. If you’re feeling as if everything is getting on top of you, reach out to me. Let’s talk, let’s see what we can do.

Tip: Take a moment, breathe, notice how you’re feeling as you read this. If you’re unsure whether you need professional support, you can pop me an email at at.ease.valphillips@gmail.com. We can arrange a low-stakes initial phone call to check-in.

Plan Ahead for the Christmas Break

Rather than letting the period between now and the break blur into “just more work”, use this time to plan how you want to feel when the break arrives.

Mark key dates (deadlines or exams) and work backwards.
Decide on one non-academic commitment to look forward to during the break. It could be a nice walk on the Gower, a visit home, a Christmas Fair.
Prepare for downtime. Make sure you have rest built in and consider ways to recharge your wellbeing battery such as reading, catching up with friends, and gentle movement.

Tip: Write a simple wellbeing pact with yourself. It might look something like, “By 20 December I will have finished this project, I will leave this day clear for relaxing, and will book a social date with someone on this day.”

Final Thought

Being a student in Swansea offers you a strong local context: staff there to support you, beautiful outdoors, and a community of fellow students navigating similar challenges. Use those resources, carve out space for your mental and physical health, design your weeks intentionally, and you’ll arrive at the Christmas break feeling stronger rather than simply exhausted.