All across campus tomorrow the University will be hosting Lumps and Bumps, a 12-hour collaborative event hosted by Loughborough University and Loughborough Students’ Union which aims to equip attendees with the knowledge and confidence required to check themselves.
Each session will showcase a range of techniques that can be used to detect these life-threatening diseases, as well as raising the profile of the vital work carried out by our charity partners – CoppaFeel! and Ballboys.
The event is open to all regardless of any prior training that you may have received. We strongly believe that refreshing your memory of what to look out for is just as important as learning the techniques and signs in the first place.
There is no restriction on who can attend the sessions and we welcome attendees to learn how to check both breasts and testicles if they wish to.
The sessions themselves are simple and take around 30 minutes. The format will be a mixture of presentation-led content with an opportunity to then practice technique on specialist training mannequins.
Training locations
Room 1 – Union on the hour (starting 8am)
Hazlerigg – council chamber on half hour (Starting 8:30am)
New victory hall – half hour
Roaming Pod- on the hour
Roaming Pod Route
On the hour on each of the locations:
Towers dining hall, Design school – 8am-11am
Student village – 11am-2pm
Fusion – 2pm – 5pm
Holt – 5pm onwards
The Library will also be hosting sessions on the hour in Seminar Room 1.
Would you know what to say to a friend or colleague if you suspected they were struggling with their mental health, and possibly having thoughts about suicide?
Today (Thursday 7th March) is University Mental Health Day, and Loughborough University is using its voice to ‘start a conversation’.
During transitions and periods of emotional distress, such as leaving home for the first time and arriving at university, some students can feel alone, isolated and at times have thoughts about death.
There are many support services available at Loughborough University and sometimes a friend, academic or warden will see signs that a student is having difficulties.
However, there are also things which staff and students can do to make people feel less alone and more confident to share difficult feelings.
This year the University is asking the Loughborough Family to pledge to start a conversation.
Specifically, we are asking you to pledge to:
Start a conversation if you feel overburdened or worried
Start a conversation with a friend, family member or colleague if you are worried about them
Start a conversation and ask for help if you need it
Keep an eye out for warning signs in others
The University’s Mental Health Team will be out and about on campus today with plaques featuring each of the messages above.
They are asking students to consider making one of these pledges, and if they feel confident enough, to share photos of themselves with the plaques on social media, using the hashtags #startaconversation and #lborofamily.
Below are some tips of what to do if you are concerned about someone:
Things to look out for – whether it is a friend, supervisee or colleague, know the signs to look out for. These include changes in behaviour, a loss of interest in activities or talking about hopelessness or feeling alone.
Offer help – There’s no better way to show that you’re a kind, approachable person than to be helpful. If you find yourself in a situation where you can lend a hand, do it. For example: “It looks like you are having a difficult time, do you need any support?”
Show empathy – Empathy is the skill of being with someone and showing that you understand their perspective. For example, as an academic you may have experienced the pressure or anxiety linked to research, so by talking to and showing your understanding to a colleague or student it can really help them.
Be authentic – Showing that you genuinely care and are worried about an individual’s wellbeing is the first step in an interaction. E.g. “I’ve noticed you’ve not been around a lot lately and I’m worried about you, is there anything I can do to help?”
Know where to go next – Having an understanding of both the University and wider community support services that can help students who are experiencing mental ill health or emotional distress is a good place to start.
The Library also has its own range of Mood-Boosting and ‘Books on Prescription’ self-help works among our Leisure Reading collection upstairs on Level 4.
The local community can offer support through the NHS’s Let’s Talk Wellbeing service, as well as Harmless – which supports people bereaved by suicide – and Turning Point, which offers a 24-hour crisis helpline.
Need to let off a bit of STEAM before the end of term? Look no further!
STEAM is a week of inter-disciplinary adventures, involving Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths. From creating your own light-work, artist talks and a games jam to building a Future Machine and experiencing an Algoraves electronic music and light pojections night in LSU.
All these events are FREE but workshops must be booked in advance. For booking information and full timetable of events, visit this link.
At the Library we pride ourselves on our openness to feedback, comments, and, when necessary, criticism. And thanks to you, we’ve made a number of changes to the ways we can help you get the best out of your studies.
We’d like your help to help us help you again! We’re running a Library Focus Group on Wednesday 13th March at 12.15pm in Library Seminar Room 1 to get your feedback about how we’re doing. We’re open to discussion on any subject related to the Library – our resources, study spaces, skills support, anything you like.
By way of an added incentive, we’re throwing in a free lunch as well!
If you are interested in attending, please email library@lboro.ac.uk to register.
We look forward to seeing you – and hearing your ideas.
Worrying about your exams? Don’t panic – there are a wide range of resources available on campus to help you through the stresses and strains of the exam period, ranging from a wide variety of study spaces (that’s right, not just us!), IT help and personal and medical advice if things are getting on top of you. Visit the University’s one-stop exam support page here – https://www.lboro.ac.uk/students/exam-support/ – for more info.
The Student Union will be visited by an acclaimed literary guest at the launch of a new reading initiative next week in the form of alternate history, fantasy and contemporary crime author Rob Duncan, whose novels have been shortlisted for the Philip K. Dick Award, the East Midlands Book Award and the John Creasey Dagger of the Crime Writers’ Association.
Rob will be reading an excerpt from his brand new novel The Outlaw and the Upstart King followed up with an exclusive interview and Q&A conducted by Loughborough University academic Deirdre O’Byrne.
Reading Ahead is an initiative spearheaded by the Reading Agency which is run in different workplaces by UNISON. The launch event will be a chance to browse their book selection, receive a complementary reading diary and meet other people from the challenge, plus the chance to enter a prize draw. There will also be literary-themed activities, a mystery book raffle and refreshments will be available.
