Author Archives: Allie Burnett

students talking in kitchen

Tips for living with flatmates

Halley from our Student Welfare & Community Life team shares top tips for handling issues with flatmates…

Whether you are living on or off campus, we know that sharing space and living with other people can sometimes be stressful, and if you are having ongoing issues with flatmates then this can have a negative impact on your experience at University and on your studies.

Whether it is issues with noise and guests, messy kitchens, shared household responsibilities, etc most of the flat issues that students have are related to not communicating, and not addressing issues when they first arise.

Top tips to help with flatmate issues:

Address issues right away: Report, get help, or try to resolve issues when things first happen, to minimise the negative impact on you and your flatmates. The longer you leave it, the more stressful it will become.

Communicate: Sometimes a conversation is all that you need. Try speaking to the person or people involved directly and let them know:

  • What you have observed, or what is happening from your perspective,
  • How it is impacting you and why you feel it is an issue,
  • What you think would help to resolve the issue.

Focus on a plan: Whatever the issue, try not to blame anyone and instead try to agree on a plan that will help everyone feel comfortable and take shared responsibility.

  • If the issue is related to bins or shared household responsibilities, Accommodation has a good Household Planner (PDF) that can help you agree on a plan to cover cleaning and household tasks.
  • If the issue is related to noise or guests, it can help to agree on quiet hours, or times that are best to have guests in the flat.

Do not assume: It will help you to resolve issues if you try to remember that everyone has a different background and perspective. People have different personal habits and different ideas of what is normal. People may be personally struggling with things that you are not aware of which can lead them to act in ways that negatively impact everyone in the flat.

Get support if you need help or if you think that a flatmate may be struggling:

  • Off-campus: If there is an incident, or if you are concerned that someone may be in danger of self-harm or harming other people, then contact emergency services right away.
  • On-campus: If there is an incident in your flat, if you want help to handle a situation, if you want someone to check-in, or if you want to report an issue like noise, Campus Security is available every day, 24 hours a day, and you should contact the team right away.

For all students on-and-off-campus: Student Welfare & Community Life is available to email, call or visit:

  • If you have noticed that a flatmate seems to be struggling and may need support.
  • If you are not comfortable discussing issues with flatmates directly and want Student Welfare to facilitate the conversation,
  • If you have ongoing issues with flatmates that you have not been able to resolve,
  • If you are not comfortable or do not feel safe in your flat and want to discuss options for support.

Final word of advice – if you are having issues with flatmates, remember that we are here to help!

student and security walking in front of security office on campus

Safety tips and services

As we approach winter and it starts to get darker earlier, here’s a reminder of safety initiatives and services you can use while studying and living at Kent, including:

Campus Security

Security staff are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at our Canterbury and Medway campuses. They offer the free night-time walking taxi service, safety advice, free personal safety alarms, and emergency support. You can contact Campus Security using the SafeZone app or by calling:

  • Non-emergency and night-time walking taxi service: 01227 823300
  • Emergency: 01227 823333

SafeZone App

SafeZone is a free and simple-to-use app for all our students and staff. It’s designed to help you get first-aid, security or safety assistance via your mobile phone. Find out more and download the SafeZone app.

Student Safe Taxi Scheme in Canterbury

The scheme lets students get a taxi home or to another destination, such as a Police Station or local hospital, quickly and safely. You can request a taxi through the scheme even if you do not have the funds to pay the fare at the time of booking, as fares can be paid later on the Online Store.

Sign up to the scheme now in case you ever need it.

Connected Routes in Canterbury

Follow the Connected Routes map if you’re travelling home from a night out in Canterbury city centre.

The map includes routes where there are regular patrols, refuge points, and increased lighting and CCTV coverage. It is also covered by the SafeZone app.

Find out more and see the Connected Routes map.

Canterbury Street Marshals

Canterbury Street Marshals support students to stay safe when out and about in Canterbury at night. They patrol the streets where many students live off campus or their routes back to campus after a night out.

Report + Support

Report + Support is the University’s online reporting tool for incidents such as: sexual misconduct, discrimination, hate incidents, harassment, physical or verbal harm and/or abuse, bullying, stalking, domestic abuse, or spiking.

Through Report + Support you can get information about different types of incidents, submit a named or anonymous report and get access to support easily.

Find out more…

See our safety webpages for advice and all safety services at our Canterbury and Medway campuses.

Staff at helpdesk

Managing academic deadlines

Tim from Skills for Academic Success shares top tips for managing academic deadlines…

Academic assignments do not always arrive one at a time with their deadlines conveniently spaced out. So here are a few tips that will help you manage multiple deadlines.

Break assignments down: Consider the stages of work that you’ll need to undertake to complete each assignment. These may include tasks such as planning, researching, drafting, editing, and checking. If you identify and understand the individual steps that are required to complete your assignment it will appear less daunting. This, in turn, will prevent you from procrastinating and enable you to start work on it. Starting assignments as early as possible will help you meet your deadlines.

Use a term planner: Seeing your academic deadlines clearly marked on a planner or calendar (alongside all your other fixed commitments such as lectures and seminars) will allow you to plan accordingly to meet them. So, working back from the deadline, allocate time for each stage of work on your planner. If you are working on multiple assignments, you can colour-code each one to give you a clear overview of which assignments you need to be working on during any given day or week. Your term planner will help you stay on track to meet your deadline, but if you find yourself falling behind schedule you can review and amend it.

Work efficiently: Meeting deadlines is not just about allocating time for each stage of an assignment. It also means using that time as efficiently as possible, by breaking each day into chunks of time and allocating a specific task to each of them. Each task should be goal focussed – whether that goal is meeting an assignment deadline or revising for an exam. It should also be achievable. For example, for a two-hour study period set yourself the task of reading and taking notes on a useful chapter of a book (which you can do), rather than the entire book (which you probably can’t). This technique will help you build momentum and feel that hour after hour, day after day, you are taking a series of small but successful steps towards meeting your deadline. Allow time for breaks and vary your activities during the day – perhaps mixing some reading and notetaking tasks with some planning and writing tasks – to help you stay fresh, engaged and productive.

Finally, don’t suffer in silence: Deadlines rarely move, so start assignments as soon as you can, and address problems when they arise. If you don’t understand a question, seek clarification from your lecturer. If you feel you don’t know how to start planning or writing your essay, or feel stuck half-way through writing one, seek advice on essay writing from Skills for Academic Success.

Good luck with your assignment!

Win a £1,000 grant! 10 to be won, exclusively for students at our uni. Enter by 5 December, even if you don't bank with Santander.

Win £1,000 with the return of the Brighter Futures Grants Programme

Once again, Santander is giving away 10 lots of £1,000 for University of Kent students.

All students can enter, including undergraduates, postgraduates, part-time and full-time students.

The grant, with its no-strings-attached approach, aims to provide financial freedom and gives you the flexibility to use the funds where they’re needed most. Whether it’s investing in textbooks, upgrading your study space, or covering living expenses, the choice is yours.

The Brighter Futures Grants programme is not just a grant, it’s an investment in your academic journey, providing you with the tools you need to do well.

Entering is quick and easy:

  1. If you haven’t already, register for Santander Open Academy – a free online
    learning platform
  2. Follow the verification link in your confirmation email
  3. Log in and choose ‘Get Started’ to complete your entry into the Brighter Futures Grants programme. From the menu you need to select ‘University of Kent’.
  4. Get your entries submitted by 23:00 on 5 December 2024.

Whether you win or not, you’ll still have access to browse the Santander Open Academy website for free, on-demand learning content that can help support you in your studies.

Apply today before 5 December 2024

KentVision unavailable on 8 Oct (from 7:30-11:00)

** Update –  KentVision maintenance work is now completed and the system has reopened**

The KentVision system will be unavailable from 7:30 until 10:30 on Tuesday 8 October 2024 due to essential maintenance.

Please make a note of your timetable, including timings and locations, ahead of this KentVision outage.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused while this essential work is carried out.

Should you have any concerns or queries please contact helpdesk@kent.ac.uk

 

students with coco the therapy dog

Pause for Paws: Take a break with Coco the Therapy Dog

Feeling the grind of Uni life, looking for easy way to de-stress? We got you!

[Jump to upcoming dates]

Featuring Coco, the charming therapy dog, ‘Pause for Paws’ in Templeman Library is back at 3.30pm in Nexus (Block D, Ground Floor). Running nearly every Wednesday during term time, this weekly initiative is one of our favourite ways to bring joy, relaxation and sense of wellbeing to students and staff at Kent.

So take a break from your hectic schedules and visit Templeman Library to say hello to Coco. He is a certified Pets as Therapy dog, very friendly, calm and loves being fussed over! It’s an opportunity to boost mental wellbeing, alleviate stress and recharge amidst your daily commitments.

Upcoming Dates (autumn term)

  • Wed 06-11-2024
  • Wed 13-11-2024
  • Wed 20-11-2024
  • Wed 27-11-2024
  • Wed 04-12-2024
  • Wed 11-12-2024

Keep up to date with Library and IT events!

As the ‘Heart of Campus’ we believe in embracing a spirit of discovery and providing an enriching environment beyond the conventional expectations of a library. At the Templeman Library you always get more than you expect. Library & IT events page.

6 cyber security tips

What are the top fraud types to look out for as a student?

  1. Investment fraud: with a total loss of £29,509,631

Criminals will target students looking to make quick-wins with available cash through cryptocurrency or schemes with a promise of high return investment. They are usually easily targeted through social media and online where many investment schemes operate.

  1. Fake job fraud: with a total loss of £149,719

Students looking for job opportunities can be targeted by fraudulent adverts aimed at stealing personal information or money. Students might be asked for an upfront payment for a fake consultation or extra help finding a job, but the fraudster does not deliver.

  1. Rental fraud: with a total loss of £4,270,255

Rental fraudsters often target students looking for university accommodation. Fraudsters ask students to pay fees in advance without seeing a property first, and as a result they lose money as well as somewhere to live.

  1. Online shopping fraud: with a total loss of £9,199,951

Often fraudsters will create fake websites or replicate legitimate online stores to trick customers into providing their personal and financial information for a purchase that isn’t real. This can lead to those details being used for criminal activity.

  1. Ticket fraud: with a total loss of £1,053,493

Fraudsters will use opportunities, like highly in-demand events, to target students by selling fake tickets. Students looking for cheap deals for freshers’ events can also be targets.

What can you do to protect yourself from fraud?

Here is some guidance to help students and others protect themselves online, whilst starting the new the school or university year.

  • Protect your online accounts: the password you use for your email account should be different from all your other passwords for online accounts. Use three random words to create a strong and memorable password, and enable 2-step verification (2SV).
  • Be cautious about how you send money: avoid paying via bank transfer and don’t be pressured into transferring large sums of money. Any trusted organisation will not force you to transfer money on the spot and only a fraudster will try to rush you. For making purchases online, use a credit card if you can.
  • Be wary of unsolicited emails, texts or contact on social media: from seeing unbelievably good deals on tickets, to seeing a suspicious rental property advertised, always double check the authenticity of what you are going to buy online before making a purchase or paying upfront fees.

How to report suspicious emails and texts 

  • Report suspicious emails by forwarding them to: report@phishing.gov.uk
  • Report suspicious text messages or spam calls free of charge to 7726

For more tips on student safety: actionfraud.police.uk/studentsafety

If you’ve lost money or provided your financial information to someone, notify your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

campus sign

Global conflicts and your wellbeing

Although you may wish to stay informed, it is important to be aware of your limits.

Distressing events around the world, such as the recent escalation in cross-border attacks in Lebanon, Israel and the ongoing war in Gaza, can have a big effect on our mental health. It is absolutely natural to feel anxious and frightened, and to feel that events are out of our control. You may be feeling disturbed by the images you have seen on the news. You may be feeling worried about the safety of loved ones. If you have lived through similar events yourself, the current crisis may be bringing up some very traumatic memories.

Staff in Student Support and Wellbeing (SSW) are here to support you during these unsettling times and are running ‘War, Conflict and World Disasters Emotional Support Drop-ins’ in Keynes College (in the Red Room) every Monday from 12:00-13:00.

SSW have also put together the following tips and advice:

Try to be intentional in how you are consuming news, avoid long ‘scrolling through’ sessions 

  • Take a break from watching the news – consider checking in at certain times of the day only.
  • Mute or turn off news notifications on your phone.
  • Mute or unfollow social media accounts if you are feeling overwhelmed, or limit your news intake to once or twice a day.

Make time for people, activities and actions that are positive for your wellbeing 

What helps will be different for each person, but here are a few ideas; 

  • Connect with friends and family members. 
  • Go for a walk in the fresh air. 
  • Listen to a podcast. 
  • Listen to some soothing or inspiring music. 
  • Write out your thoughts and feelings in a journal. 
  • Go to the gym. 
  • Grab a coffee with a friend. 
  • Connect with nature.
  • Try to have a regular sleep pattern.
  • Try to eat healthily which will help when you are feeling emotionally depleted. 
  • Listen to some guided meditations as these can really help as a distraction from racing thoughts.

Focus as much as you can on hope 

Amidst all the horrors of war, there are also reports of wonderful acts of courage, bravery and compassion. The majority of people are committed to peace, with global efforts to support victims of war reflecting this. 

Student Support and Wellbeing – professional support at university 

Did you know that Kent has a professional support service of over 100 specialist staff? We’re here to support you with mental health, disabilities, and neurodiversity such as specific learning difficulties or autism, through 1:1 support as well as peer support groups and events. Here’s a video of top mental health tips from our mental health team. To book an appointment with the team email kentSSW@kent.ac.uk or if you are at Medway MedwaySSW@kent.ac.uk

Emergency support 

If you feel you need urgent support from our team from Monday to Friday 9:00 – 17:00, please phone on 01227 826573 for the Canterbury campus or 01634 888474 for Medway or email KentSSW@kent.ac.uk or MedwaySSW@kent.ac.uk and ask for urgent mental health support. 

Out of hours support from Spectrum Life and other providers 

Feel like you really need to talk to someone but the Student Support offices are closed? Check out the Emergency Support page with details on online and telephone support available round the clock, such as our partners Spectrum Life, who you can call in the evenings and at weekends on 0800 0318227 and pressing option 1. Spectrum also has an amazing online app that is available for free for all University of Kent students. See instructions on how to access the app and you can do guided mediation or use the online virtual exercise groups.

student talking in meeting

Apply for the Wellbeing Student Advisory Board

Applications for the Wellbeing Student Advisory Board are now open.

The Advisory Board’s purpose is to help guide Kent Students’ Union and the University of Kent in improving our approach to student wellbeing and ensuring our work is impactful and accessible to all students. This will involve discussing current and future plans and offering suggestions based on the board’s shared expertise and experiences. Topics discussed at meetings will include mental health, safety initiatives, the cost of living crisis, sense of community and belonging, as well as anything else that is important to you. You will help shape student wellbeing at Kent.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for 12 students on undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, from a range of courses and years to create a diverse and inclusive panel. Any student who is currently enrolled in an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at the University of Kent can apply to be part of the panel.

No prior experience is required to be a member. All you need is to be passionate about student welfare and helping all students to love their time at Kent.

What to expect

A two-hour meeting will occur three times in the academic year with additional opportunities to get involved in projects and campaigns. Invitations for these meetings will be sent once membership to the board is confirmed.

Students based on the Canterbury campus will receive £20 KentOne credit (or an Amazon £20 Voucher) in exchange for their active participation in the two-hour WSAB meeting. Students who are not based on the Canterbury Campus will be compensated for their time at the same rate through an alternative method. Students will also be able to earn Employability Points throughout the academic year.

How to apply

To apply, please submit either a maximum of a 500-word response or a 2-minute-long video telling us a bit more about you, what skills and experiences you feel you would bring to the role and why you would like to get involved.

The deadline to submit your application is midday on 23 October 2024

Apply now

If you have any questions please email Teslimat Bello (Vice-President Welfare and Community) at Kent Students’ Union, t.bello-650@kent.ac.uk

student smiling at camera

Expect Respect

Welcome to Kent (and welcome back to all returning students)! Hopefully you are starting to settle into the swing of things, establishing a routine, making friends and settling into your classes. With that in mind, now seems like the perfect opportunity to bring your attention to the all-student e-learning Moodle module, Expect Respect.

You have probably seen Expect Respect on your Moodle homepage, or seen information about it circulated by your Academic School, but may not have opened it yet or know what it is all about.

Expect Respect is an open module that every student, regardless of course, year, level or mode of study, is automatically registered on when they first join the University. Kent is a large, diverse organisation with different nationalities, cultures, religions, ages, disabilities, sexualities, genders, philosophies, values and beliefs all represented. This means Kent is a vibrant, energising and exciting place to learn about how other people think and navigate the world, but can also mean that sometimes those beliefs and values can cause conflict between people when they disagree. We want everyone to feel at home and that they belong at Kent. Expect Respect is designed to introduce you to some of the behaviours that we expect all students (and staff) to display whilst they are with us and to help ensure that any difference in view or opinion is discussed or treated respectfully.

Expect Respect introduces you to ideas and concepts, some of which may be familiar to you and others may be completely new. It covers topics such as racism and becoming actively anti-racist, gender identity and gender critical viewpoints, Academic Freedom of Speech, ageism and sexism and religious discrimination as well as an introduction to having challenging conversations and being an active bystander. Importantly, it introduces you to all the support services at Kent, including our Report and Support system to help you get access to specialist support for anything in relation to discrimination, harassment or sexual assault. It has been developed in collaboration with academic staff and student societies over a number of years to ensure it is balanced and truly reflective of the myriad voices we have here.

Some of the topics in the module may well be uncomfortable for you. That is OK! Much of your learning at university will encourage you to think and reflect critically and Expect Respect is no different. Worried that a topic may be upsetting for you? No problem, you have the option to skip specific sections if you need to. The Specialist Wellbeing Team is also available to provide you with help and support if you would benefit from this. You don’t have to complete the module all in one go, although we would encourage you to finish it by the end of the first term if possible.

If you have any questions about Expect Respect please contact the Student EDI Officer on StudentEDI@kent.ac.uk