The Wellbeing Team will be operating as usual until the 23 December and then open again on the 3 January.
To make an appointment, just email wellbeing@trinhall.cam.ac.uk.
The University Support Services such as the University Counselling Service and the Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre will also be open during this period.
Winter Holiday Activities and Guide and Volunteering Opportunity
To help combat loneliness and isolation over the festive period, the central students’ union (Cambridge SU) produces a Winter Holiday Activity Guide which highlights activities and events in Cambridge as well as events organised by student clubs and societies that are open to all.
The Cambridge SU is currently recruiting student-volunteers to organise activities for students who remain in Cambridge over the holidays. Could that be you? If we manage to get a student-volunteer from Trinity Hall, the College has agreed we can use this as a venue to run film events, board games events and other friendly and inclusive activities that would be open to Cambridge students from all colleges. If you are planning on being in Cambridge over the holidays and you are interested, please email Lisa at wellbeing@trinhall.cam.ac.uk
Advent of Kindness Calendar
The charity Charlie Waller has created a kindness advent calendar which includes all kinds of ideas on how you can improve your wellbeing as well as the wellbeing of others in the lead up to Christmas.
Christmas and Money
The festive period can bring about financial challenges and worries. The charity Save the Student gives advice on how to do Christmas on a budget.
The Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis provides 45 Christmas Saving Tips. This guide covers everything from budgeting for the big day to how to get cheap presents and save on train tickets. And for those who celebrate Eid, Chanukah or something else, for the most part the same tips apply.
Christmas and Mental Health
While many welcome and enjoy the Christmas period, others can find this to be a difficult time. The charity MIND explains why Christmas can be hard for many people, and provides tips to help yourself and others over the festive period.
Christmas when you are estranged from your family
The charity Stand Alone which supports those who are estranged from their families has produced a festive guide which shares ideas on how others in similar circumstances manage over the festive period.
Christmas with an Eating Disorder
The charity “BEAT Eating Disorders” answers five questions about Christmas with an eating disorder.
Advice from the Wellbeing Team: Cheer, Joy and Merriment – How to handle the Holiday Blues
Society can put pressure on us to fully experience the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ however the holiday blues are common and real for many. This year, to top it off, we have the added stress from the cost-of-living crisis, which will affect many individuals and their families.
One of the key skills in DBT emotional regulation is coping ahead, so we thought it would be helpful to provide some food for thought around ways to cope ahead this holiday season, especially for those who struggle with the holiday blues in order to manage both the expected and even the not-so-expected.
- SELF CARE: If you can only manage one thing, it’s a good self-care routine. Self-care is now understood to be a pillar of psychological wellbeing. So go against the grain and keep your routine going. PLEASE is an essential skill set to utilise to maintain a steady emotional balance.
Text by: Lisa Déry, Head of Wellbeing at Trinity Hall and Julie McCrae, Wellbeing Team Counsellor
