Student news

Dear colleagues,

I want to thank you again for your continued hard work and the dedication of your staff in response to the disruption caused by the pandemic. I know that concerns about the new coronavirus variants and another national lockdown will have affected many people’s sense of wellbeing, including that of university staff and students - your work in this area is crucial and will continue to be vital in the months ahead.

We are asking for your feedback once again this term, to find out how your learning and wider university experience is going in light of the pandemic.

“Close the Lockdown Gap is the formalisation of something we (my brother and I) were already doing during the first lockdown. Tutoring students missing out on schooling. We started by offering sessions to friends, family and people in our local area of North West London before it expanded further and we created Close the Lockdown Gap.

The lockdown adversely affects those students who don’t have as many opportunities as others. Whether that’s because their school isn’t able to provide a ‘lockdown’ laptop or because their household shares one electronic device between four.

Reflecting on last term

This year has not started in the way that many hoped – COVID cases are on the rise, hospitals are under huge pressure and a national lockdown is in force for the foreseeable future.  It is worth reviewing what happened last term as a possible guide to how we should approach this term, even allowing for the fact that many students will be unable to return for some time and many members of staff will have to continue to work from home.

Managing Panic

Friday 29 January 2021, 11:30 am - 12:45 pm, with Dr. Ruth Williams

A panic attack is an extreme episode of anxiety that can make you feel out of control and very frightened. This 75-psycho-educational workshop will help you to understand what causes panic attacks and teach you practical strategies to manage them using a CBT approach.

Relaxation in Covid Times

Wednesday 10 February 2021, 5:15 pm - 6:30 pm, with Dr. Anne-Marie Daly

Grace Baghdadi is a Global Affairs and Economics major at Yale currently undertaking a year of PPE at Oxford, she is also the co-founder of Females for Finance, a non-profit organisation that looks to bridge the gender gap in the finance industry. Grace spoke to us about the work she has been doing and how you can get involved.

New ways to connect and work out virtually with Oxford University Sport

With limited social interaction and more remote study, it can be challenging to maintain levels of motivation and can leave you feeling less connected. Oxford University Sport together with Wellbeats has introduced new social group classes as part of Active Anywhere, so you can now connect and workout with others wherever you are virtually. You can schedule classes in advance and invite others to tag along with you.

What does volunteering on the Together Neighbours programme involve?

“Being an Oxford Hub member on the Together Neighbours programme can involve anything from picking up and delivering shopping or prescriptions, to dog walking and topping up electricity metres for vulnerable people. Around halfway through term, I started volunteering, which involved me collecting and delivering shopping to a vulnerable person in Oxford each week.

Reflective learning 

Studying for a degree in the current climate requires flexibility, resourcefulness, discipline and resilience – all characteristics that will help you on your journey for the rest of your degree and life after Oxford. Take some time to consider how you have responded to the many challenges you have experienced by being a student at this time and the new skills you have developed.