Studying and surviving at LSE
Tuesday 15 September 2015
2.00pm, CLM.302
Repeated
1.00 pm, 17 September - KSW.G.01
2.00 pm, 23 September – PAR.LG.03
3.30 pm, 7 October – NAB.LG.01
LSE Student Counselling Service
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Common challenges in starting at LSE
Practical tips for dealing with transition
Stress management skills
Sources of advice and help
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Common challenges in starting at LSE
Academic
Social
Settling in tips
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New level of study
Previous standards
Reading strategies
Use SQ3R:
Scan, Question, Read, Review, Recall
Presentations, essays and exams
Academic adviser relationship
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Overwhelmed with material
New style of learning
Independent critical voice
Anxiety can lead to procrastination
We may disguise avoidance by being busy
We may find things to do that are interesting, but don't contribute towards the main goal
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Meeting new people
New contacts through shared activities
Keeping contact with people from home
Balance of work and leisure
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Loss of familiar home, friends, family, routine
Coping with loss, after initial excitement subsides
Depression and anxiety
Cultural isolation
Relationships and Identity
Financial difficulties
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There is a natural grieving reaction associated with change extremely common often in first weeks can occur when leaving home, but also later (eg after Xmas break)
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Homesickness is associated with
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 distance from home high expectations/ sense of anticlimax time to adapt to culture, language, lifestyle work overload and low control over it
 most people come through homesickness and go on to do well and enjoy their time
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Initial impressions
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Why did you choose to study at LSE
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What are your initial impressions
Academic
Social
Cultural
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Talk to someone - others feel the same
Call home but also get involved here
It’s not disloyal to to enjoy yourself!
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Be realistic about what to expect
Balance work and leisure
Time to adjust
You don't have to get everything right straight away
Food and sleep
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The context for studying
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What are you really doing here?
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Independence
Relationships
Being a student
Studying at LSE
Your course
Career
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Trying to please others
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Being a perfectionist
Feeling under pressure to do everything right
Setting yourself impossible targets
Repeating anxiety, stress, fear of failure …
The family/ historic context for your success …
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Past relationships
Current relationships
Relationship with LSE or course of study or work or …
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What pressures are you under as a student coming to LSE
From others
From yourself
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Are these pressures realistic or excessive?
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Practical ways of dealing with study challenges
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Revise study skills see LSE Learning World on Moodle
Time management skills
Set realistic and achievable goals
Short term targets, longer term strategies
Recognise your achievements
Talk to others, ask for help and support
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Concentrate on the task, not the outcome
Break down huge activities into small manageable tasks
Remember past successes
Time for breaks
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 space to breathe and think mind maps, scribble ideas go for a walk, talk out loud
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Stress Management Skills
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Physical, behavioural, cognitive…
Regularly switch off
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Schedule some kind of physical activity
Good self care
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Sleep, diet, caffeine, alcohol and nicotine
Time out without guilt
Acknowledge anxiety, rather than denying it.
Ask: ‘are my negative thoughts realistic?’
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Imagine them under test in a Court of Law
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Identify the negative thought (I can’t do this course, I’m going to fail…)
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Ascertain the evidence For and
Against
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Am I making a ‘ thinking error ’
Propose a more reasonable alternative thought
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All or nothing thinking
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Discounting the positive
 only seeing the negative side
Over-generalizing
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‘If it happened before it will happen again’
Believing a catastrophe will happen
Emotional Reasoning
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‘If I feel it then it must be true’
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Advice and help
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Academic Adviser
Disability and Wellbeing Service
TLC study skills advisors
Student Union and Advice Centre
Departmental Staff
Student Services Centre
Learning World
Medical Centre
Mental Health and Wellbeing Advisors Deans
Don't wait until problems have grown impossibly large
It’s OK to ask for help earlier
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Free and confidential
Mainly short term counselling
Book appointments in advance
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See Website for
Stress management handouts
Self help resources
Relaxation MP3’s
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(1/4 )
Studying and Surviving at LSE:
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Tuesday 15 Sept 2015.
Time: 14.00 - 15.00
Location: CLM.302 Or
Thursday 17 Sept 2015.
Time: 13.00 - 14.00
Location: KSW.G.01 Or
Wednesday 23 Sept 2015. Time: 14.00 - 15.00
Location: PAR.LG.03 Or
Date: Wednesday 7 Oct 2015.
Time: 15.30 -
16.30 Location: NAB.LG.01
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(2/4 )
Good Writing Psychology:
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Wednesday 14 Oct 2015.
Time: 15.30 - 16.30
Location: KSW.G.01 OR
Friday 30 Oct 2015.
Time: 15.30 - 16.30
Location: KSW.G.01
How to Deal with Study-related Stress
Wed 28 th Oct 15.00 – 17.00 pm
Location: NAB.LG.08
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How to manage your time effectively:
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Mon 19 th Nov 15.00 17:00
Location: NAB.LG.08
Stress Management
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Mon 16th Nov 11.00 – 1.00 pm or
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Mon 23rd Nov 11.00 – 1.00 pm or
Mon 30th Nov 11.00 – 1.00 pm
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Location: TBC
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(4/4)
Raise Your Self-Esteem:
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Thurs. 19th Nov 11.00 am – 1 pm
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Thurs 26th Nov 11.00 am – 1 pm
Thurs 3rd of Dec. 11.00 am – 1 pm
Location: TBC
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Stress Management Group (3 weeks)
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Self Esteem Group (3 weeks)
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Therapy Group
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PhD self-reflective group
Places on all groups need to be booked in advance.
Please see the website, Call Ext 3627, visit KSW.507 or email student.counselling@lse.ac.uk
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Transition can be stressful, but also allows us to grow as a person
Imagine looking back in 5 years
Talk
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