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There are plenty of resources just for you as a postgraduate student or PhD candidate, including our online Postgraduate Hub, a permanent home for links and resources tailored to you. We also know that it can be easy to feel disconnected or isolated as a researcher without regular contact hours – to tackle that, why not join our Facebook group for more casual updates and a way to connect with your peers, or the Postgraduate Society where you can meet like-minded people who understand postgrad life.

As a postgraduate, you’re just as entitled to all of our activities and services as everyone else – make sure to keep up to date with everything that’s going on at LUU, as we’d love to see you there. We also love to see our postgrads around the Union building. Just because you’ve finished your first degree, it doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of our student-friendly prices!  Why not follow us on social media or join our mailing list for weekly updates?

We know the needs of our members are different at every level of study, which means you’re well-represented at Leeds with dedicated Reps to represent the unique interests and opinions of postgraduate taught and research students. You can find out more about student representation at Leeds here.

Not only that, but this year postgraduates have a specific representative in our Student Exec team, and therefore a stake in decision-making at the highest levels of the Union and Uni. Nicole Jimenez is your International and Postgraduate Officer for 2021-22, and will be campaigning to improve things for you throughout the academic year.

With an increased workload – and possibly more commitments outside of University – it’s important to look after your wellbeing as a postgrad. Our Help & Support team is on hand to help with any issues you might experience. Take a look at our video for some of the ways they can help, or visit our dedicated Help & Support article for more.

• Plan well in advance. Know your deadlines at the beginning of the semester and formulate a plan for when you’ll work on certain tasks over the course of the term. Account for other responsibilities like part time work, as well as your well-deserved down time, and stick to it to ensure you never miss a deadline or have to sacrifice other things to get your work done. As a PGR it’s important to get a sense of how regularly you’ll meet with your supervisor to help with this planning.
• Form study groups with your coursemates or PhD cohort. This can help to motivate you, enable you to discuss ideas outside of formal seminars and help you to feel supported and understood during challenging times. If you’re a PGR working on something totally different to your cohort, it still pays to get together and discuss your research, answer questions and identify any areas for improvement. It’s also important as a PGR to actively avoid becoming isolated – and this is a great way to do so.
• If you’re a PGT student, make use of your Academic Personal Tutor. If you have an academic issue, don’t bury your head in the sand. Your tutor is there to help you and will be a valuable resource in helping to steer you through your course should you need the support.
• When a task feels overwhelming, break it down into manageable chunks and focus on getting through each one in turn. This will help you to focus on the moment rather than panicking about a large piece of work and stop you from feeling overwhelmed and procrastinating as a result.

Stress can be a normal part of University life, especially as a postgraduate student. However it’s crucial to recognise when things are getting too much, and to know how to regulate your stress levels to ensure your health and wellbeing.

Below, two Leeds students who worked in LUU’s Postgraduate Project, Imogen Stevens (MSc Climate Change and Environmental Policy) and Sagal Arboshe (MA Global Development) take you through their stress management tips.

• Develop good habits. Taking the time to take care of your body through eating and sleeping well and staying hydrated will also benefit your mental wellbeing, leaving you feeling nourished and reinvigorated.
• When feeling stressed or anxious, make a note of the thoughts that come into your mind and challenge yourself. Ask yourself if there’s evidence for the way that you’re feeling; are there other ways of viewing the situation; how is thinking this way affecting you; are you concentrating on your weaknesses instead of your strengths?
• Remember that academic performance is tied to your health and wellbeing. It’s important to be kind to yourself, to work through each task one at a time and to recognise that each day is a chance to start again.
• While dedication towards academic performance and studying is key, studying is not the be-all and end-all of university life. It is important to maintain balance by practising pleasurable things as well as necessary and routine tasks, and taking time to rest, relax and have fun in order to de-stress and improve the quality of your work.

At LUU and at the University of Leeds you’re surrounded by resources  designed to help you through the tough times, including the following:

• You will have School or Centre staff including Student or PGR Support Officers, Academic Personal Tutors, Directors of Taught Postgraduate Studies and Directors of Postgraduate Research Studies with whom you can discuss any difficulties you’re experiencing
• LUU Help & Support
• The Student Counselling and Wellbeing Service
• Studying at the University of Leeds means that you gain free membership to Togetherall where you can access peer support, online modules and resources for self-management which empower you to improve your wellbeing.

Want to discover more of your LUU Welcome experience? Visit our Welcome webpage for events, advice and more.