New

• Offers an alternative avenue for support and information
• Gives you someone to speak to about things you are unsure about or stressed/worried about
• Will help you settle into life at Glasgow University
• Meet new people and make new friends
• Provides peer support so you don’t feel pressured to talk to someone in an official capacity, which could be intimidating
• Will help alleviate some of the initial anxiety and pressures of starting a PhD- they can share their own experiences with you so you know you are not alone

Do
• Ask about your buddies own experiences and examples.
• Utilise the scheme when feeling stressed or worried- you are not alone in your emotions.
• Use the scheme as a way to meet new people and try new things.
• Recommend the scheme to other new PhD students
• Feedback to the SRC about what works and what doesn’t about the scheme
• Become a buddy yourself in your 2 nd /3 rd year.
Don’t
• Expect your buddy to be there
24/7- this is not a full-time job.
• Think of them as professional counsellors- they are there to offer information, support and pastoral advice but will signpost when appropriate or necessary.
• Feel isolated or alone, approach your buddy and see if they can help.

If you are a 1 st year PhD student and would like to be paired up with a buddy then please email gilchristpgclub@src.gla.ac.uk
stating your name and College/School.
We will try to pair as many of you as possible with suitable buddies but this will all depend on supply and demand for the scheme.