Whether it is worry over money, exams, or family and friends – perhaps all three – the Covid-19 pandemic is a stressful time for students - April 2020

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While many students will be at home with their families, and subsequently isolated from their natural peer support, many others will be unable to leave their student accommodation or indeed, in some cases, be unable to return to their home country.

Student services across the country are going to great lengths to communicate crucial advice and support but it is incumbent on us all to help.

 

University of the Highlands and Islands students should connect with the Highlands and Islands Student Association (HISA) http://www.hisa.uhi.ac.uk for regional-specific news and updates, as well as staying in touch with staff at their own campus.

HISA Depute President for the Scottish Association for Marine Science UHI, Marie-Louise Korte, said: “HISA is now operating fully online, where our staff and officers will safely continue to serve our students’ needs. Our main priority throughout this process is the welfare of our students and we will continue to ensure they are supported to study in this new digital environment. 

 

Communications from SAMS and the University has been immensely helpful in easing student concerns here in Oban. Things may not be running as smoothly as they usually would, but we appreciate the hard work of our module leaders and student support teams in making the transition to online as easy as possible. Our health and wellbeing has always been prioritised by the staff and for that I am really grateful.”

 

If you are feeling anxious or stressed, please do contact HISA, your student support officer, friends or family. You can also take some simple steps to reduce the impact of isolation:

Get on that group chat

Okay, so you can’t meet face to face, but group chats and video calls are the next best thing. You’ll be amazed at the different ways in which people are coping with being housebound.

Stay safe

It is already a well-worn mantra, but regularly washing hands and maintaining social distancing will hugely reduce your risk of contracting the virus and subsequently passing it on. Staying indoors makes this a lot easier but in the Highlands and Islands we are blessed with space, so get your daily exercise too.

Give your mind some time off

At times of stress and uncertainty, our minds can wander and often arrive at some worst-case scenarios. Reassure yourself that you are taking all the precautions to stay healthy and that your university is working hard to ensure you’re not being disadvantaged in your studies. It’s a scary time, but it’s not forever. Even if you do need to keep up to date with the latest coronavirus news, listen to one bulletin per day. Coronavirus will be in the news for weeks and months to come, so pace yourself and consider whether push notifications and 24-hour news channels are a good idea.

Listen to experts

With so much coronavirus news and advice on social media, it is difficult to know what to believe. Make sure your facts are from a trusted source, such as the NHS and public health outlets, and always think before you share.

For the latest information on the university’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, see www.uhi.ac.uk/coronavirus

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Freshers' Fair introduces new students to Oban town - 2 September 2019

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Around 100 new students attended Oban’s inaugural Freshers’ Fayre to find out what the town has to offer.

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The event attracted 18 exhibitors showing the new arrivals the wealth of opportunities available to them during their time studying here, from sports clubs and societies to student services and mental health support.

 

The event was organised through partners on the Oban: A University Town project (OaUT), which aims to increase awareness of the growing student population in the town for the benefit of both the students and the local economy.

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Iain Gatward, OAUT project manager, said “It was fantastic to see so many new students to the area, including a significant number of international arrivals. To see local organisations making the new students so welcome was fantastic and huge thank you to all those who made such an effort to support the event and to The View for hosting it. This is a real milestone for Oban as a University Town and hopefully the first of many more events like this in future”.

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There was  a lot of positive feedback from students with one new arrival commenting “It has been a great welcome to Oban on a rainy day, it was great to meet new students and to find out about all the things you can do in and about the town, I’m amazed at the variety of things you can get involved in when you come to study in Oban”.

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The OaUT project has a lot of activity planned over coming months and will continue to update in the Oban Times. If you would like to get involved or find out more, please contact the team through this website. 

 

 #LoveLearningLoveOban

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