The Bucks Student: Edition 94

Sending big love from Rusty!

What’s a pronoun?

February 2021 - Edition 94

BUCKS Campaigned for a 100% rent rebate to our students in halls

WINS!

2 The Bucks Student

Welcome In this edition: Sabb update . . . . . . . . . . 3 What have they been up to?

Editor’s update . . . . . . . 4 We have a delightful edition in store for you today!

BUCKS

BUCKS Campaigned for a 100% rent rebate to our students in halls

Added a new complaint system in halls

WINS!

WINS!

Bucks Wins!. . . . . . . . . . . 5 Another winning month

Tash and the reusable pad. . . . . . . . . . 6 The #BloodyGoodBucks saga continues

Events calendar . . . . . . 8 Do I really need to explain this?

What’s a pronoun . . . 10 Kia explains it for us

Activities update . . . . 12 Working at Bucks . . . 13 Amy tells all...

Mental health help. . . 14

Page 6 - Bucks Wins again! February has been a short, but busy month Welcome back and I hope February has been treating you well. February hasn’t treated me so well - but I would like to think the current situation has taught me a lot about resilience and stoicism.

I feel like with everything going ‘wrong’ at the minute, when small problems crop up nowadays - I find it much easier to put them into perspective.

I think at this point I just laughed when my oven broke, a few weeks after my fridge, a few days after the hoover. Not quite sure why all these things keep breaking, but they’ve certainly given me something to do during the lockdown, and if anyone needs their household appliances fixed - I’m your guy now!

So don’t let little things get you down, and what have you learnt over lockdown? We’re more than happy to publish your story or thoughts - just let us know if you have any content, articles, images, interviews or achievements you’re proud of, drop an email to editor@thebucksstudent.com to get started.

For all advertising and media enquiries please contact the Students’ Union Communications and Marketing department.

Mental health stories . 16 Everyone struggles and it’s okay to talk about it

Simon McDowell simon.mcdowell@bucks.ac.uk

BNU Swans . . . . . . . . . . 18

Oli Gunson oli.gunson@bucks.ac.uk

What have they been up to?

Nellie Hughes nellie.hughes@bucks.ac.uk

Ecosia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Google who?

Page 8 - Tash tests and covers reusable pads

Articles in this newspaper do not necessarily represent the views of Bucks Students’ Union but are that of the specific author. View this edition online at bucksstudentsunion.org/media/ newspaperarchive. © 2021 Bucks Students’ Union

3

Sabb update

January edition 93

By Tamsin Grainger (she/her), Tash Neal (she/her), Tom Featherstone (he/him)

Hello, us again!

Tamsin Grainger - President

Tom Featherstone – VPSI

Tash Neal – VPEW

We hope everyone is doing well in these continued uncertain times.

Make sure you are keeping both physically and mentally healthy.

Hopefully our wellbeing week just gone helped with that a little too! The days are all rolling into one another at the moment but keep staying positive and keeping productive.

There are several different events that are coming up, these include the Pads and Pamper evening on Friday 19 February, hosted by Tamsin and Tash, you will be taught how to make reusable period pads over an evening of pampering.

As well as these, there are many different session that are all on what’s on page, these are; online art classes, PE with Joe Wicks as well as the Lockdown Uni Cup - which is your opportunity to battle your way to become the best FIFA player at Bucks and go on to represent the University against the other universities in the country. There’s loads going on now, which can all be found on the what’s on page.

With this month being LGBTQ+ history month, there are many different events being run by our events team. One of the main events is a quiz on Sunday 21 February, so you can test your knowledge there!

As well as all the events that are currently going on this week (Monday 15 - Friday 19 February) is RAG WEEK! Both Elysia and Jade have been working hard behind the scenes to get as much on as possible, so feel free to take part in as many sessions as possible! We would also love it if you would be up for running your very own RAG fundraiser. Please get in contact with tom.featherstone@bucks.ac.uk or jade.collis@bucks.ac.uk if this is something that you are interested in.

We know that this is probably an extremely stressful time for all of you, and things might seem like they are going round and round - but stick with it and try to get your uni work done. Times will get better!

4

Editor’s update

The Bucks Student

By Jessy Clark (she/her)

Editor’s update Hi all, Jessy here again!

Since this edition has been released just a tad late for Valentine’s, I hope you all got to celebrate the day surrounded by the people you love, despite the tough restrictions and face-time dates… After all, Valentine’s isn’t strictly for couples! Platonic love between friends, sibling and family bonds, and pets absolutely count!

This edition, much like the rest, is a great read and I would encourage you more than ever to have a look; Edition 94 (this one!) features some really enlightening, educational pieces about identity, mental health and working on ways to be more eco-friendly!

I absolutely recommend taking some mental notes on the pointers our writers have offered, I know I will be!

Our prestigious Kia Wing effortlessly explains how important pronouns are and how important it is to use them in our everyday lives in order to normalise and therefore support our LGBTQ+ folks (or Folx! A genderneutral collective noun used to address a group of people. Unlike the term “folks’’, the ending “-x” on “folx” specifically includes LGBTQ+ people and those who do not identify within the gender binary!)

This edition also features discussion on how this lockdown has had an effect on our mental health and how vital it is to support your fellow students and friends during these uncertain times. Mental health awareness is so crucial to have not only in society as a whole but especially in the university community; it creates a safe space for anyone attending and opens up a comfortable environment where we can have these kinds of difficult conversations.

Mental health isn’t abnormal, and it is estimated that 1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem of some kind per year in England. It is absolutely something that should be talked about and not be deemed shameful.

It is also estimated that 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (like anxiety and depression) in any given week. This is why

checking up on friends, family and peers can make such a significant change in someone’s life, especially while people may be feeling the most isolated.

But your own mental health comes before anything else, and you shouldn’t put everything on your shoulders before being sure that you’re okay to do so. Self-care isn’t just bubble baths and aloe face masks (but it certainly counts!) you should balance the ways you occupy yourself e.g. don’t spend hours on coursework everyday and repeat it every day. Take breaks, start a new hobby, spend time with family, journal, doodle, anything that’ll get you taking time out for yourself!

If you would like to get involved with the Newspaper and writer’s newsgroup, you can always drop an email to us at editor@thebucksstudent.com or j_essyclark@hotmail.com.

5

Bucks Wins

January edition 93

By Tamsin Grainger (she/her), Tash Neal (she/her), Tom Featherstone (he/him)

February may only have 28 days, but we’re still working hard to get you the wins that you very much deserve this month...

BUCKS BUCKS

Added a new complaint system in halls

Campaigned for a 100% rent rebate to our students in halls

BUCKS

WINS!

Freshers Helpers in halls throughout isolation periods

WINS!

WINS!

BUCKS Ran the We Stand

By You campaign

BUCKS

WINS!

Delivered library books home

BUCKS Worked with the University to provide core texts for Uxbridge students online

WINS!

WINS!

BUCKS

BUCKS Arranged for free parking at Uxbridge

Got the University to buy new laptops for the library

WINS!

WINS!

BUCKS Lobbied the University to adopt pronouns as an institution

WINS!

BUCKS

Provided a Wellbeing Week WINS!

BUCKS BUCKS Started planning a podcast calendar for key subjects to provide for students

WINS!

Developed a Student Experience Committee with the University

WINS!

6

Tash and the reusable pad

The Bucks Student

By Tash Neal (she/her)

Tash and the reusable pad...

Tash tries an alternative pad as part of our #BloodyGoodBucks period poverty campaign!

As part of our Period Poverty campaign this year, myself and Tamsin have each trialled a reusable period product alternative to disposable pads and tampons to give an open and honest account of our experiences. I wanted to try the reusable pads as I thought that they would be a good alternative for me personally. During this trial I used pads from two different companies.

Firstly, InfinityEco (below on the left) which was £14.99 for six of the same sized pads and then, Bloom and Nora (below on the right) who have varying prices based on how many you buy. Bloom and Nora, come in five sizes and offer two different types of materials.

The ‘InfinityEco’ pad

The smaller ‘Bloom and Nora’ pad

So reusable pads come in all sorts of shapes and sizes to help suit your flow and your body which is better than the one-size-doesn’t-fitall disposables. When I opened my reusable pads, I was quite surprised at how soft they were. They were also really thick in comparison to my usual pads and I wasn’t sure whether these would be the right thing for me as I don’t have the heaviest of flows and they seemed rather bulky. However, I specifically chose the leopard print ones as I like the funkiness of them, and this didn’t disappoint.

I started the first day of my cycle with the InfinityEco product. I must admit that I was a bit worried and didn’t feel confident that they would work very well. They did feel very different at first and took a bit of getting used to. Although they felt quite bulky, I thought they were much more comfortable than my usual disposable ones that I normally use. I was also concerned that it wouldn’t hold in place but I am pleased to say there was nothing to worry about and the pad held in place very well as it had small poppers to help keep them in place. I found that overnight as well this product worked well. I was really pleased and will definitely convert to using these from now onwards I trialled a Nora Lady Garden reusable pad towards the end of my cycle. This one was the second to smallest size that they provided and was much smaller than the InfinityEco ones that I tried; I also had my doubts about these staying in place as the poppers were smaller than the InfinityEco ones.

The smaller size meant I wasn’t 100% comfortable using them at the start of my cycle but I found that this actually worked better for me nearing the end of my cycle. I did find that they moved around more than the InfinityEco ones.

7

Tash and the reusable pad

January edition 93

Something that I did worry about was the washing aspect of reusable pads, but it was a simple process.

When you were done with the pad you were using, you would give it a quick rinsing beforehand under a cold tap until the water runs clear then just pop it in with your normal washing. It really was that simple, rinse and wash. I used a washing bag so I could keep them altogether, but you can just pop them in with the rest of your washing. It’s recommended to wash the reusable pads on a low temperature, 30 degrees, which will help them last for longer and then air dry them instead of using the tumble dryer. According to both companies they should last up to ten years, which is great considering the price.

Comparing disposable to the InfinityEco Products price-wise, I think you get a lot more bang for

“I get horrendous periods, painful, draining and heavy!

Turns out I get constant cysts on my ovaries and have endometriosis. Therefore, I go through sanitary products very quick and they are crazy expensive!

I have had surgery to ‘fix’ the problem although they expect I will need them constantly until I have a baby! #periodfromhell” – another student experience!

your buck. Let’s say you would need 12 pads for your full cycle, this would cost £29.98 and although this is a lot up front, for a short term outlay it is much cheaper in the long run than using let’s say, a pack of ‘Always’ pads each month which over ten years would cost around £114.

I personally preferred the InfinityEco products. They worked really well for me but that’s down to my own personal preference. I would definitely recommend that you get a few different products from different places to try and find what’s right for you. I’m definitely not returning to my plastic disposable pads anytime soon. There are so many easy sustainable swaps out there and if you’re not keen on the idea of a cup, I would definitely recommend switching to reusable pads. It changed my period experience!

“I looked at the idea of menstrual cups when I was about 14 or 15. At first they were quite daunting and I still haven’t got my head around the idea of reusable pads but using a sterilising a cup was so easy and even if someone saw the bag it was kept in, they wouldn’t know what it was. I no longer get pain from using tampons- silicon is a lot easier on the body. If you’re open to buying a menstrual cup I’d definitely recommend it. I’ve probably saved so much money using a £20 cup for years now completely risk free. They work amazingly well with heavy periods too- I often forget I even have one in!”

– a student experience

Keep up to date with our #BloodyGoodBucks campaign on our Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Twitter.

We’re only just getting started!

8

Events calendar | 15 Feb - 28 Feb

The Bucks Student

We may be in lockdown, but we’re still providing you with all the events to help pass the time!

If you don’t see an event listed below, check online nearer the time; bucksstudentsunion.org/whatson

Monday 15

Tuesday 16

PE with Joe Wicks

Virtual tours: Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Real Madrid Virtual tours: Monterey Bay Aquarium FC 9am - YouTube

All day - What’s on page

All day - What’s on page

AJ and the Queen

Yoga

All day - Netflix

Wednesday 17

Thursday 18

PE with Joe Wicks

Life drawing

Virtual Tours: Georgia Aquarium

AJ and the Queen

9am - YouTube

All day - What’s on page

7.30pm - What’s on page

5pm - What’s on page All day - Netflix

Virtual Tours: The Shedd Aquarium All day - What’s on page

Pronouns tips

Union Council

4pm - What’s on page

5pm - What’s on page

Friday 19

Saturday 20

Sunday 21

Monday 22

PE with Joe Wicks

Silverstein virtual concert

Kahoot Quiz: LGBTQ+ pride history month

PE with Joe Wicks

9am - YouTube

Pads and pamper evening

What’s on page

8pm - Kahoot

6pm - What’s on page

9am - YouTube

Virtual tours: Signal Aduna Park

All day - What’s on page

AJ and the Queen

Lockdown Cup: University Edition

All day - Netflix

All day - What’s on page

Tuesday 23

Wednesday 24

Thursday 25

Friday 26

Virtual tours: Legoland Billund

PE with Joe Wicks

Virtual tours: Allianz Arena Bayern Munich

PE with Joe Wicks

All day - What’s on page

Dance masterclass by alumni Tatiana Afro 5pm - What’s on page

9am - YouTube

Virtual tours: Walt Disney World Resort

All day - What’s on page

All day - What’s on page

9am - YouTube

Fairtrade Breakfast 11am - Zoom

AJ and the Queen All day - Netflix

Life drawing

5pm - What’s on page

Saturday 27

Sunday 28

Glitterbomb livestream event: LGBT+ history month extravaganza!

Kahoot Quiz: General Knowledge

7pm - What’s on page

8pm - Kahoot

Have a burning idea for an event, or need to get in touch with our events team? Drop an email to suevents@bucks.ac.uk.

We’re always on the look out for new activities, and are happy to listen to whatever you fancy doing.

Or, maybe you’d like to have a go at hosting a virtual event? We can do that too so let us know!

Download the FREE app Discounts Legal ID Campus Life

Join today

TOTUM.COM @WEARETOTUM

10

What’s a pronoun?

The Bucks Student

What’s a pronoun?

By Kia Wing (she/they)

and why are they important?

You probably know what pronouns are, we all use them every single day. She, he, they, xe… but many of us don’t understand why they are so important.

Pronouns are how you refer to someone when you aren’t using their name; they’re one of the ways we choose to portray our identities, and the way many of us express our gender. But they are most commonly used by the LGBTQIA+ community and it’s vital that this changes. It can be alienating for the community, which is why we need to normalise everyone introducing them with the same importance as their name. We all have pronouns.

They don’t always align with our gender identities, which is why it’s always best to ask someone. It’s easy to introduce your pronouns when you introduce yourself; ‘Hi my name is… and my pronouns are…’ and it’s also very easy to ask someone what theirs are!

So why do most of us fail to do this?

It’s just normalised as part of culture to assume someone’s pronouns from the way they look. Someone who is feminine presenting is very often assumed to use the pronouns ‘She/Her’, but this isn’t always the case and it’s crucial that we start to recognise this.

Assuming someone’s pronouns can be harmful, even if we don’t mean it to be. Particularly for someone who isn’t cisgender (their birth assigned sex aligning with their gender) or someone who dresses in a way that isn’t conventional to their gender, it could cause gender dysphoria.

According to Stonewall, here’s 5 ways to step up: • When you introduce yourself, also introduce your pronoun: This can remind people it may not always be obvious what pronoun someone uses.

• Put your pronouns in your email signature and/or social media profile.

• Try to avoid addressing groups or people with gendered language, e.g., instead of using ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’, use the word ‘everyone’ to address a group.

• If you’re not sure what someone’s pronouns are, ask them.

• If you accidentally misgender someone, just apologise to them and then move on using their correct pronoun.

We all make mistakes, and we are only human! Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up, but like Stonewall say, apologise and move on! If you want to know more or are just generally interested in educating yourself (which is great!) then there are tons of resources on the internet you can use!

12

Activities update

The Bucks Student

By Emily West We have another month of great training opportunities for you! We understand that you have all been busy with your assignments and exams but as semester 2 is starting, we hope you have a little more time to take full advantage of all the amazing opportunities offered by your award winning Students’ Union, all FREE courtesy of the Big Deal!

You no longer need to pay a deposit to reserve a place on our sessions – all we ask is that you complete the feedback form you will be sent. This helps us make sure the programme we deliver is effective, engaging and value for money.

We have a packed schedule to help you through February and March with the following opportunities coming up to give your CV a boost….

Presenting Yourself Online

Challenging Conversations

Sign Language – Level 2

As communication is now shared globally through technology, it is important for you to gain the skills, knowledge and best practises for presenting yourself professionally online. This great FREE session will help you in any presentations you have to do for your course as well as in your future career so make sure you reserve your place!

Especially booked in for our nursing students and those on other health and social care courses, join this FREE workshop and learn how to hold difficult conversations with patients, clients and their families.

This FREE course follows on from the beginner’s sign language course, so if you have already completed this and are looking to develop the next stage of your sign language, this is the course for you!

Linked-In

We have a diverse and varied programme arranged for you and you can attend as many sessions as you like. Also coming up in the second semester, we have: LGBTQ+ Awareness, End of Life Care Awareness, More Guitar and Singing lessons, Online Escape Rooms, and much, much more!

Discovering Self-Compassion This FREE workshop has been designed to help protect your wellbeing during these difficult times. You will learn how to understand self-compassion and how it interacts with mental wellbeing, consider how selfcompassion helps to balance our emotions and learn strategies which can build self-compassion.

It might seem a long way away but a Linked In profile is just another tool that can help you find work once you have completed your course. This FREE workshop will teach you how to optimise your LinkedIn profile. This is the first step towards utilising the platform to find suitable job opportunities.

If you need any support to enhance your academic experience, while we can’t welcome you to our office as we usually would, we are still here to support you and we will be more than happy to help wherever we can. Please drop an email to sutraining@bucks.ac.uk.

You can book onto any activity through our website so be sure to keep an eye out on bucksstudentsunion.org ‘What’s On’ page – don’t miss out by not reserving your place early on!

13

Working at Bucks

January edition 93

By Amy Conroy

Working at Bucks

Amy Conroy - Event Technician Thanks to Alex Rusu for the photo!

I started as an Event Technician at the Students Union at the start of my first year. Fast-forward 16 months, I feel my outlook and confidence – on a professional and personal level – has grown exponentially. As well as the physical work involved in such tasks like coiling cables, moving faders, and carrying flight-cases, my experiences have also been a monumental catalyst for selfreflection; the good, the bad, and the (occasionally) ugly.

Initially, I dropped out of college because of an irrational fear of the live sound module I was studying; so, it stood to reason that applying to work as technical crew at the SU was far from my comfort zone. Like any journey, mine during my time at Bucks so far has been no stranger to difficulty and mistakes. However, the support and understanding of the SU venue staff and music lecturers have been significant in enabling me to pick myself back up. I threw myself into the deep end when I joined the tech crew in the hope to prove to myself that “I could do it”, but it is the opportunity, support, and gratification I have found within the venue and its staff which has kept me there.

My experience working here has fuelled the realisation that this is what I want to pursue as a career post-uni; something that I undoubtedly would have dismissed in college, as the panic-stricken teenager on the brink of fainting

whenever the mixing desks came out. However, setting up for big events such as Halloween, whilst liaising with DJ’s, promoters, and the like, sparks pride in me.

Unarguably, this doesn’t manifest immediately at 7am on a Thursday morning packing up a gargantuan inflatable dome, but long-term it fills me with content and a real sense of achievement. I can’t wait to get back to it when possible!

I have immense gratitude for the SU, both as a student and employee, and I highly recommend taking advantage of such opportunities that may benefit you while you’re here. I like to believe that I have come on in leaps and bounds mentally since the start of my journey. It’s normal to hold back in fear (if you don’t, what’s your secret?) but the long-term benefits are plentiful, and in my experience, have certainly correlated to my idea of real personal progression.

Thanks to the SU and its venue, I have reached new heights – a feat which is not just a result of finally being able to climb more than 6 steps up a ladder to hang décor, but which has a metaphorical resonance to it too. I truly hope that this goes some way in inspiring you to use the Student Union as an ally, and resource, too.

14

Mental Health Matters - Mind

The Bucks Student

By Ellie Freeman (she/her)

Mental Health Matters Studying at University can be stressful and difficult, so it’s important to know where to turn to if your Mental Health becomes affected. Mental Health difficulties are common and there are plenty of resources and support out there that can help.

Your Mental Health will always be a priority and you should reach out to someone if you need to talk. It can sometimes be overwhelming to know where to seek support, so each month we will be sharing a different Mental Health support resource, giving you the essential information to help you reach out.

This month, we will be focusing on Mental Health charity, Mind. Previously, we raised money to fund sessions run by Bucks Mind on Managing Difficult Emotions, which took place last week, and Discovering Self Compassion. This will be taking place on Tuesday 23 February, from 10:00am - noon and you can sign up here: bucksstudentsunion.org/ents/event/6334

Mind provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.

When you’re experiencing a mental health problem, supportive and reliable information can change your life. That’s what Mind do. They empower people to understand their condition and the choices available to them through the following:

Infoline

Legal line

Publications and Website

Email: info@mind.org.uk

Phone: 0330 466 6463

Text: 86463

Email: legal@mind.org.uk

Mind’s Infoline provides an information and signposting service, open 9am-6pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

Mind’s Legal line provides legal information and general advice on mental health related law, open 9am-6pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

Mind also have their award-winning publications and website. When you’re living with a mental health problem, or supporting someone who is, having access to the right information is vital.

Ask them about: • Mental Health problems • Where to get help near you • Treatment options • Advocacy services

Ask them about: • Being detained under the Mental Health Act (sectioning) • Mental capacity • Community care • Discrimination and equality

Website: mind.org.uk/information-support Visit their website for information on: • Coronavirus information • Types of mental health problems • Drugs and treatments • Helping someone else • Legal rights & support • Tips & personal stories • Guides to support and services • Helplines & an online community

Centre a problem?Union Bucks Got Students’

ADVICE CENTRE We help you find a solution!

Advice ADVICE CENTRE Centre Tell us what it is

MONEY

Please call to make an appointment at either campus for a face-to-face, telephone or Sky

High Wycombe Campus:

Uxbridge Campu

Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Fr LEGAL ISSUES Located: Room N0.03, ground floor, North Block Located: Room 1.03, fir YOUR PERSONAL LIFE Phone: 01494 603 016 Phone: 01494 605 1 to make an appointment at either campus for a face-to-face, telephone or Skype appointment.

Evening appointments are available outside of standard opening hours at High Wycombe Mon-Thurs contact us to arrange an appointment at a time to suit you. gh Wycombe Campus: Uxbridge Campus: hursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm MONEY COURSE ISSUES YOUR PERSONAL LIFE INTERNATIONAL MONEY om N0.03, ground floor, North Block Located:YOUR RoomPERSONAL 1.03, first LIFE floor STUDENT ISSUES Phone: 01494 603 016 Phone: 01494 605 180 to make appointment at either or camp to make an appointment at either campus for a face-to-face, telephone or Skype appointment. suadvice@bucks.ac.uk bucksstudentsunion.org/advice an appointment atPlease eithercall campus for aanface-to-face, telephone Sk s for a face-to-face, telephone or Skype appointment. Please call to make ents are available outside of standard Mon-Thurs: 5pm to 7pm. Please MONEYopening hours at High Wycombe High Wycombe Campus: gh Wycombe Campus: Campus: Campus: Uxbridge Camp contact us to arrange an appointment at a time toUxbridge suit High you. Wycombe Uxbridge Campus: Monday to Thursday Monday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm hursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm to Thursday 9am-5pm, F Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm Please call to LEGAL INTERNATIONAL make an appointment at either campus for a face-to-face, telephone or Skyp ISSUES Located: Room N0.03, ground floor, North Block om N0.03, ground floor, NorthLEGAL Block ISSUES Located: Room 1.03, first floor ACCOMMODATION Located: Room N0.03, ground floor, North Block Located: Room 1.03, fi INTERNATIONAL Located: Room 1.03, first floor STUDENT ISSUES Phone: 01494 603 016 Phone: 01494 603 016 Phone: STUDENT 01494 605 180 ISSUES Phone: 01494 603 016 Phone: 01494 605 Phone: 01494 605 180 High Wycombe Campus: Uxbridge Campus suadvice@bucks.ac.uk bucksstudentsunion.org/advice to Thursday 9am-5pm, 9am-4.30pm Monday Thursday Frid Evening appointments available outside of9am-5pm, standard ope ents are available outside of standard opening hours Evening atMonday High Wycombe Mon-Thurs: 5pmFriday to 7pm. appointments are available outside ofPlease standard openingare hours attoHigh Wycombe Mon-Thurs YOUR PERSON ng MONEY hours at High Wycombe Mon-Thurs: 5pm to 7pm. Please LEGAL an ISSUES Located: Room floor, North Block Located: Room 1.03, first contact us to arrange an app YOUR PERSONAL LIFE contact us to arrange appointment at a time to suit you.N0.03, ground contact us to arrange an appointment at a time to suit you. ntment at a time to suit you. To make an appointment, email suadvice@bucks.ac.uk, appointments can be: 01494 603 016 Please call to make an appointment at eitherPhone: campus for a face-to-face, telephone or Skype appointment. Phone: 01494 605 18 COURSE ISSUES ACCOMMODATION COURSE ISSUES o make an appointment at either campus for a face-to-face, telephone or Skype appointment.

ACCOMMODATION By telephone we will phone you, or online through Teams we will organise this.

Evening appointments are available outside of standard opening at High Wycombe Mon-Thurs: High Wycombe Campus: Uxbridge Campus:hours suadvice@bucks.ac.uk bu contact us to arrange an appointment at a time to suit you. suadvice@bucks.ac.uk bucksstudentsunion.org/advice Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm gh Wycombe Campus: Uxbridge Campus: suadvice@bucks.ac.uk bucksstudentsunion.org/advice cksstudentsunion.org/advice INTERNATIO Telephone and online appointments are preferable during this9am-4.30pm current situation will usually LEGAL 9am-5pm, ISSUES Located: Room N0.03, ground floor, North Block Located: Roomand 1.03, first floor available ursday Friday 9am-4.30pm Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday STUDENT IS MONEYworking week from COURSE YOUR PERSONAL LIFE INTERNATIONAL to 48ISSUES hours 01494 of a request during YOUR the normal 10am to 605 4pm Mon to Thurs MONEY Phone: 603 016 Phone: 01494 180 m N0.03, ground floor,within North24 Block Located: Room 1.03, first LIFE floor PERSONAL STUDENT ISSUES are possible but may take longer to arrange.

Phone: 01494 603 016 and to 3pm on Fri. Appointments outside Phone: these 01494times 605 180 Please call to make an appointment at either or campu o make an appointment at appointments either campus a face-to-face, telephone or Skype appointment.

Evening arefor available outside of standard opening hours at High Wycombe Mon-Thurs: 5pma to 7pm. Please telephone suadvice@bucks.ac.uk bucksstudentsunion.org/advice Please call to make an appointment at either campus for face-to-face, Sky for a face-to-face, telephone or Skype appointment. contact us to arrange an appointment at a time to suit you. nts are available outside of standard opening hours at High Wycombe Mon-Thurs: 5pm to 7pm. Please High Wycombe Campus: gh Wycombe Campus: Campus: Campus: Uxbridge Campu contact us to arrange an appointment at a time toUxbridge suit High you. Wycombe COURSE ISSUES ACCOMMOD Uxbridge Campus: Monday to Thursday Monday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm ursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm to Thursday 9am-5pm, Frid Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm INTERNATIONAL LEGAL ISSUES Located: Room N0.03, groundLocated: floor, North Block m N0.03, ground floor, NorthLEGAL Block ISSUES Located: Room 1.03, first floor floor, North ACCOMMODATION Located: Room N0.03, ground Block Room 1.03, firs INTERNATIONAL suadvice@bucks.ac.uk bucksstudentsunion.org/advice Located: Room 1.03, first floor STUDENT ISSUES bucksstudentsunion.org/advice Phone: 01494 603 016 Phone: 01494 603 016 Phone: STUDENT 01494 605 180 603 016 ISSUES Phone: 01494 Phone: 01494 605 1 Phone: 01494 605 180 suadvice@bucks.ac.uk suadvice@bucks.ac.uk bucksstudentsunion.org/advice Evening appointments are available outside of standard openi nts are available outside of standard opening hours Evening at High Wycombe Mon-Thurs: 5pm to 7pm.

Please High Wycombe Mon-Thurs: YOUR PERSONA g MONEY hours at High Wycombe Mon-Thurs: 5pm to 7pm. Please appointments are available outside of standard opening hours at contact us to arrange an appo contact us to arrange an appointment at a time to suit you. contact us to arrange an appointment at a time to suit you. tment at a time to suit you.

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COURSE ISSUES ACCOMMODATION COURSE ISSUES ACCOMMODATION High Wycombe Uxbridge Campus: Lastly, Mind also have a networkCampus: of Buckinghamshire Mind Hillingdon Mind suadvice@bucks.ac.uk bu suadvice@bucks.ac.uk bucksstudentsunion.org/advice Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm suadvice@bucks.ac.uk Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm,bucksstudentsunion.org/advice Friday 9am-4.30pm around 125 local Minds across the ksstudentsunion.org/advice INTERNATION Phone: 01296 437328 Phone: 01895first 271559 EGAL ISSUES Located: Room N0.03, ground floor, North Block Located: Room 1.03, floor UK that offer specialised support STUDENT ISSU Phone: 01494 603 016 Email: info@bucksmind.org.uk Phone: 01494 605 180 and care based on the needs of the Email: mind@hillingdonmind.org. communities they support. For over uk Evening appointments are available outside of standard opening hours at High Wycombe Mon-Thurs: 5pm to 7pm. Please 100 years, Buckinghamshire contact Mind us to arrange an appointment at a time to suit you. has been a trusted charity and work OURSE ISSUES ACCOMMODA to support and represent people with mental health problems living bucksstudentsunion.org/advice bucksstudentsunion.org/advice in Bucks. They havesuadvice@bucks.ac.uk branches in High Wycombe and Aylesbury, suadvice@bucks.ac.uk as well as Hillingdon Mind for Uxbridge students.

16

Mental Health Matters - your stories

The Bucks Student

By Zoe, Julie

Mental Health Matters - your stories “My journey with mental health has not been easy. Growing up I didn’t even know people could become unwell mentally. That all changed when I was 19 years old, I gave birth to an amazing little boy, about a week later I just felt this dark cloud forming over me, I would not let anyone hold touch or even look at my son. The dark cloud made me feel extremely anxious.

My GP called it baby blues as did the midwife, my mood started dramatically changing. I went from an outgoing happy person to someone who could not and would not leave the house. I went back to my GP who just gave me medicine which sadly did not help eventually I became so unwell I tried to harm myself, this is when I was admitted to hospital. I was diagnosed with Postnatal Depression at that time after some clinical help and medications over a few weeks I

was able to be discharged and my recovery took about 6 months. I still struggled with anxiety and low moods which sadly swinged from happy to very much suicidal. I was then diagnosed with an emotionally unstable borderline personality disorder. I went on a list for therapy and had very little support. I just was not getting better. Fast forward to 2016 I changed to a different mental health team and saw a specialist doctor who looked at my history and diagnosed me with complex post-traumatic stress disorder, I as a child did not have a happy home life and that mentally affected me in ways no one could foresee, and these deep seeded issues came apparent after I had a child of my own. Since that diagnosis I went onto medication and had the targeted therapy I truly needed which has changed my life. I look back over the 7 years I

struggled with my mental health and how I sadly nearly died after trying to harm myself on more than one occasion, I look at how far I have come. I have overcome so much I am now thankfully recovered on no medication and discharged from all services and at an amazing point in my life. I could never have come this far without the amazing care from my mental health team and support from friends. I have at points been ashamed of my struggles but now I am proud of those struggles because they have made me the strong resilient person I am today. If you said to me in 2009, I would be studying to become a nurse I most likely would have said no way! Be proud of your struggles and how you have overcome them. Mental health is nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Hello! My name is Julie and I am an Executive Officer for Part-time students!

for getting my mum to feel better and seeing her happy, but also supporting me and reassuring me that she will be ok! Growing up, I have stumbled across other issues, and have always felt as if I am struggling. Now that we are going through a pandemic, my mental health has flown over the roof!

However, what has and is helping me mostly is staying connected with those I love and care for!

Also having the university and my

senior lecturers supporting me and understanding my struggles!

Sometimes, when I feel low, I would run a bath with bubbles, have a drink and lots of chocolate! I hope this helps you! I am always available for a chat! Sometimes it helps venting to a stranger or just simply having someone to talk to! Always remember, you are not alone, and we will all get through this together!”

Personally, I have been struggling with my mental health since I was 13 years old. A child that had to move from the country they used to call ‘home’ to a completely different country. A few months after moving to England, I found out that my mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. I will forever be thankful to the NHS for their efforts

- Zoe

- Julie

17

Mental Health Matters - your stories

January edition 93

By Tash

Mental Health Matters - your stories “When lockdown began in March 2020 and the University closed officially, I remember being quite disappointed as I had a really important dissertation meeting the following day with my tutor which was crucial to me continuing with my research. Understandably, this meeting was pushed back by a few weeks due to the need for lecturers to remap and record all content so that it could be delivered in a professional format to all students.

However, at the same time I also had five other assessment deadlines quickly approaching and had planned out my days by the hour to make sure that I could get everything done with my first deadline being in April for my dissertation. This meant that by my meeting being delayed, all my planning was thrown into the air and I started to fall behind. I was always pretty good with deadlines as a student and it made me feel very uneasy. I was thankful that the No Detriment Policy was in place as it enabled me to have a little bit more time for assessments and I could give them a final once over to check for grammar errors as well as any sentences that didn’t make sense. However, I started to notice that I couldn’t sleep at night and I had a constant ringing noise in both ears every time that I put my head on the pillow and tried to go to sleep. I put it down to drinking too much caffeine and converted over

to completely decaf, but the ringing didn’t stop. As the days went on my patience began to run thin and the sleep deprivation alongside the looming deadlines became too much. I spent hours of the days in tears and panicking that I was going to fail my degree. I completely zoned out of doing work and just sat there staring at my screen for hours and hours. I eventually got in touch with the University to say that I needed help, I couldn’t sleep or concentrate and I started to panic that all the work I had put in for the first two and a half years of my degree was going to go to waste. I managed to get an extra few days for one of my assignments which helped me to take a step back and have a breather to try and support myself and stop stressing. It was a really hard time for me, and my mental health really deteriorated in my ability to look after myself as well as trying to study. The day that I submitted the final assignment for my degree it was a humongous relief. I felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It’s the first time I have really spoken about it or written it down but I did really suffer between March and June and it’s nice to be able to openly write about it and release the feelings I had pent up for so long.

What I wanted to say in this article, is that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel no matter what

situation you’re facing. I was really tough on myself during my degree and put enormous amounts of pressure on myself to get a first.

From having conversations with my family, personal tutor, and lecturers they tried their best to highlight to me that there is so much more to life and your career than your degree classification. At the time I couldn’t see it but reflecting back now I wish I hadn’t been so hard on myself as it began to take away some of the enjoyment out of my degree course (Psychology and Criminology) which I found so fascinating. The effects that the lockdown has had on everyone’s mental health has been significant and I truly thank the Union and the University for all they did to try and support me when I was having a tough time. Please do reach out if you are struggling with your mental health. We all have to stick together during the lockdown, and although everyone’s experiences are completely different during this time, we are all stuck in the same groundhog day rut. No matter how hard things seem, I guarantee there is someone that can help in one way or another, be it the counselling team at the University, the Student’s Union Advice Centre or contacting an external company like the Samaritans, you do not need to face any challenges alone.”

- Tash

18

BNU Swans

The Bucks Student

By Ellie Ramsden

BNU Swans got quizzical!

Valentines day is just behind us, and this one was a little bit different from your usual night out with your loved one. To make your night more interesting the BNU Swans created and hosted a quiz! So instead of sitting at home on your lonesome or together with nothing to do, loads of you joined us for a fun night in.

BNU Swans Cheer team created the quiz in order to raise money for RAG and to make your night at home loads less boring. The quiz was 40 questions, testing your knowledge on all thing Valentines.

As well as some lucky winners left with prizes! And we may have even found our next Bucks cassanova...

It was great to raise money for our RAG charities, The Julius Little Foundation and Florence Nightingale hospice. And we can’t wait to continue fundraising as much as possible in the coming months.

Keep an eye out for more events like this on our website; bucksstudentsunion.org and especially our ‘What’s On’ page – we have plenty planned and wouldn’t want you to miss out!

19

Ecosia

January edition 93

By Kia Wing (she/they)

You’re probably thinking… What on earth is Ecosia?

Ecosia is a search engine, basically an alternative to Google or Yahoo, but with a twist. When you search with it, you’re planting trees.

They use the profit they make from searches to plant trees in the areas that need them most; and they have planted over 119 million trees to this day in over 9000 planting sites across Africa, South America, and Southern Asia.

How’s this relevant to me, you ask?

Bucks have recently made the change to start using Ecosia as their default search browser. This is a huge win for sustainability, and we are so proud of the team behind this change! As someone who uses it personally, I can’t recommend it highly enough to use yourself! Being sustainable is all about the little things,

and it’s such an effortless change to make. It also looks and feels a lot like google, so it’s not a huge change… it’s hardly noticeable. For most computers, all you have to do is visit your computer settings and change ecosia.org in as your default search engine. It’s as simple as that!

They are also very transparent about their work and the trees they are planting, and they also don’t sell your data!

Green Society is so excited about this change and are avid users of the search engine, we recommend it highly! We also have a lot of very exciting things coming up, including making our own sustainable skin care – so join our Facebook group ‘Bucks Green Society’ and look out for it!

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