How Leeds Beckett has supported me during my studies

Supportive lecturers

It goes without saying that the academic aspect of university is vital, so when I arrived two weeks after the official start date I was slightly panicked. I started to doubt if I’d ever be able to catch up, considering all the stories I’d heard about university professors and their rigid mindset towards education. At Leeds Beckett, I found all of these to be nothing but myth.

All the lecturers were so overwhelmingly helpful that I sailed through the first semester with no problems. From directing me to the right resources, to helping me catch up on lost work and providing helpful additional course material, they truly helped expand my knowledge on the subject without being overbearing.

Library support for assignments and exams

I can go on and on about the support provided by the library at Leeds Beckett. From staff helping you find the books that best complement your course material, to assisting you with queries regarding library loans and extra resources, the Sheila Silver library at LBU is a fantastic place to find study material.

Each course at LBU is assigned an academic librarian (as stated in each student’s course handbook). They are available to help you with course-specific details, which I was very grateful for. This process ensures that you receive advice from someone who specialises in your chosen subject, eliminating the stress of finding credible work to supplement your studies. In addition to this, I find that they go the extra mile by replying to my email queries within a short period of time and they are available whenever I have needed them.

Individual support

One instance where I truly felt supported was when a professor offered to individually go over the session with me as I had arrived late due to issues with public transport. I left this class feeling more confident in my decision to choose LBU than I had ever before. A guidance system like this is what makes the student support at Leeds Beckett quite incomparable. I think it's their attention to student’s needs and understanding for different circumstances that defines their approach to providing a great university experience.

Mental health support

When you’re constantly rushing from one class to another and focusing on staying on top of your assignments, it’s easy to forget about looking after your mental health. I’ve found that it’s important to take the time to evaluate your routine and adapt a healthy lifestyle, that includes talking to others about how you feel.

LBU provides free counselling sessions to all students. The Student Wellbeing Team counselling service is incredibly helpful, professional and is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). They maintain complete confidentiality and aspire to help you find positive ways to cope with stress, anxiety and other mental health problems. Specific information regarding mental health support provided by the team can be found on the Student Wellbeing page.

In addition to this, for those who may be uncomfortable with face-to-face help, they provide free access to an online mental wellbeing platform called Kooth. I stumbled across Kooth on one of the informative posters around campus and decided to give it a go. It is designed especially for students and is run by professionals, making it one of the best help systems I’ve found out there. As someone who uses Kooth regularly to help regulate day-to-day emotions, I can vouch for its effectiveness and the support it provides. In addition to providing hourly sessions to discuss your mental health, counsellors often check in with a message to follow up on your discussion and see how you're doing, which means a lot if you’re like me and often forget to keep in contact.

Leeds Beckett has worked hard to support me during my time at university, and I can safely say that they have gone above and beyond in doing so. From the efficient library system and encouraging professors, to online mental health support and the wellbeing team, all aspects of support that I have needed has been taken care of which has enabled me to achieve my highest potential at university.