Finding support at uni - Youth Team experiences

Added 26/09/2024

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Finding support at uni - Youth Team experiences

Hear from some of their Youth Team about how they found support at uni.

Starting a new term at university, whether you’re in your first year or further into your studies, can be full of a mix of emotions. When you’re grieving, these emotions might feel heavier and harder to identify or understand, which is why it can be really important to find support when you’re a student.

Sometimes the support offered by people around you at uni can be hard to find, and you might have to ask several people before getting any response or finding support suitable for your individual situation. This can feel draining, and you might feel like want to give up trying... to try and help you feel less alone, here are some thoughts from grieving young people on our Youth Team about finding support when you’re at university.

My advice would be to make sure that if you are starting a new course at uni then do some research and maybe speak to student wellbeing or disability services before you start, which can help to reduce anxiety and hopefully have that support that you need put in place from the beginning. It can be really hard to advocate for yourself, so make sure that you look after your mental health and even plan something to look forward to after if you are having those difficult conversations can be helpful.

Eden, Youth Ambassador

Starting university can feel like the most daunting thing. Well, at least that’s how I feel right now, as I write this on results day! But whilst most students celebrated and cheered, I burst into tears because my dad should’ve been there. And that sentence pretty much sums up how the entirety of my final year at school went. My year started off perfectly fine, and I sent off my UCAS form bright eyed and bushy tailed. The following month, my dad had passed away; suddenly, university didn’t seem so important anymore. Then, eight days later, I received an email from Cambridge saying I was invited to an interview to study medicine. I couldn’t bring myself to celebrate or prepare. I was far too enveloped in my own fear and grief...

Zunera, Youth Ambassador

...One of the ways in which I accessed support was by asking my UCAS Coordinator at school to email the Head of Admissions to inform them of my circumstances. This meant they were aware I was incredibly and totally out of it. For every interview I received, I asked for an email to be sent prior to me sitting the interview, which helped relax my nerves. On offer holder days, I tried to speak to the Head of Admissions directly to see if mitigating circumstances could be added to my file. I also asked about what grief and mental health support there would be at university. One university had a grief support group which met monthly! Questions like these helped me choose which universities would be best for me because I know how difficult I will find starting this chapter of my life without him. I also sought help from my sixth form via the School Counsellor, who truly changed my life...

Zunera, Youth Ambassador

...If you’re grieving and applying to university, my biggest advice is to speak up. University admissions really do want to give you all the help they can, and knowledge of your circumstances helps them tailor support towards you. And of course, at university, I plan to continue to access support from Winston’s Wish – in particular the podcasts – to remind myself I am not alone in my grief!

Zunera, Youth Ambassador

Moving to university is a big life change that is even more daunting when you are grieving a loved one. Leaving your support network is lonely and trying to find a new support network at university is a nerve-wracking process, but it is a key step to overcome. It is easy to shy away from speaking about your experience with grief when in a new environment, but it is important to share this part of yourself with your new friends. By sharing my experience with grief with my new peers, I was able to find a friend who had also lost a parent. Having someone who not only understands what it is like to have lost a parent so young, but also finding someone who is grieving at university has been a comfort and made the experience a lot easier for both of us.

Daisy, Youth Ambassador

On-demand grief support

If you need to talk, we’re here to listen. You can speak to the Winston’s Wish bereavement team using one of our confidential on-demand services. You can chat with us anonymously if you wish and share whatever you are feeling. Nothing about your grief is off limits. We promise to listen, not judge and can offer advice and guidance if needed. You can speak to us as little or as often as you want.

Live chat

Click the blue ‘Chat with us’ button at the bottom right of your screen between 8am-8pm, weekdays.

Email

Email us on ask@winstonswish.org and we’ll reply within two working days.

Call

Call us for free on 08088 020 021 between 8am-8pm, weekdays.

Text

If it’s urgent, text WW to 85258 to speak with someone from our trusted partner, Shout. Open 24/7.

If you need to speak to us in a language other than English, we can use interpreters over the phone, and we can use the Relay UK app if you have hearing or speech difficulties.

Written by Winston's Wish Youth Ambassadors

Talk Grief is powered by Winston’s Wish, a childhood bereavement charity that supports grieving children and young people up to 25. If you want to talk to someone about your grief, call us on 08088 020 021 (open 8am-8pm, weekdays), email ask@winstonswish.org or use our online chat (open 8am-8pm, weekdays). If you need urgent support in a crisis, you can contact the 24/7 Winston’s Wish Crisis Messenger by texting WW to 85258.

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