Social Connections

Social connection

Support network (including family)

Having supportive relationships helps to bolster you in times of difficulty.  Connect with friends and relatives, and talk about your situation if you feel comfortable. Otherwise, just talk about other day-to-day things.  Even simple connection, such as just being friendly towards others, can make a difference to how you feel.

Empathy

Research shows that understanding how others feel is strongly linked to being more resilient when you face stress. Take the time to think about how others are feeling, which can also help you to get a different perspective on the situation.

Access community resources

If there are community organisations or groups, make the effort to access them. Sometimes just being part of a community group can make a big difference to your resilience, even if the help they can offer is limited. Community resources include student groups and organisations, residence groups, CCDU, mental health organisations and religious organisations etc.

Help others

If you don’t have a strong support network, you can help to create one by helping others (e.g. by volunteering; or just helping a friend or fellow student). Helping others often helps you to feel better about your own situation, and also helps you to feel more purposeful in your life.