Support 'important' for those heading to university, says University of Worcester lecturer
A survey from Pay.UK has revealed over a third (39%) of students in the West Midlands have reported they are stressed regarding their finances ahead of starting university
The University of Worcester is highlighting the importance of support for students heading to university for the first time or returning back to their studies.
Students will either be making their way to accommodations or would've already done so ahead of the new semester, whether that be across the country or in the city of Worcester itself.
Ahead of it, a survey has revealed over a third (39%) of students in the West Midlands have reported they are stressed regarding their finances ahead of starting university.
The survey from Pay.UK also reveals that four in 10 students in the UK didn’t feel prepared financially at all for university life.
Marianne Tay is a principal lecturer in the department of psychology and mental health at the University of Worcester.
She says heading to university can impact people in different ways and it's important they feel supported with whatever they are feeling.
"I think it's a kind of plethora of emotions actually for students at this point, hopefully all really excited to be going and leaving home for the first time," she said.
"Alongside that though for many students is that slightly daunting feeling of now I've got to stand on my own two feet, I've possibly got to live alone or with people I don't know.
"There's a lot of thoughts that are going to come alongside that and that level of anxiety is totally normal."
Marianne says it is also common for parents to feel worried they might struggle with 'empty nest syndrome' as their young person goes off to university and it should be a priority for both parties to make sure they keep in touch.
"That little check in of a friendly face or a bit of regularity, or a home cooked meal for one night if you can does really help," she said.
"Don't feel that you have to go away and abandon your previous life, that's not what university is about at all, make sure you check back to base and that you do check in with your familiar surroundings and your familiar people because university is hard sometimes.
"The most important thing for the person to remember though is I can guarantee that lots of other people are feeling the same, so that level of I shouldn't admit I'm homesick, we're very used to hearing it, and we know it happens, we know that lots of our students feel it."
Last week it was also announced the University of Worcester was a finalist in this year’s University of the Year award by Times Higher Education.
It's the fourth time in the last decade that it has been shortlisted for the award, having previously been a finalist in 2016, 2019 and 2020.