Support & Wellbeing

Relationships

By epickersgill 05 Jul 2022

Coming to University is an opportunity for developing new relationships with people, whether that be friends, coursemates, romantic, or sexual relationships. It is important to feel confident in knowing what is a healthy relationship.

Sometimes it can be hard to build relationships when we are in a new environment and we can feel pressure to be someone we are not to fit in. Also, as time goes by, the relationships we made at the start of the semester can change and tensions can build with flatmates, coursemates, and friends. This is normal and how you navigate this will impact on how you feel coming out the other side of these tensions.

We also have our existing relationships, which can change when we come to university: this can include partners, siblings, parents, carers, and our friends from home. We all need to be able to feel we can manage these changes.

If at any point you do not feel a relationship you are in is safe, please seek support. Here are some places where you can find out more about healthy relationships:

The Student Wellbeing Blog, run by the University’s Student Wellbeing Service - https://www.studentwellbeingblog.com/post/how-to-know-if-you-are-in-a-healthy-relationship
Information from the University about finding support if you are in an abusive relationship:

Verywell Mind, an external resource for information on mental health topics - https://www.verywellmind.com/all-about-healthy-relationship-4774802
Women’s Aid’s new site that they are developing to provide advice about relationships and abuse for young people - https://loverespect.co.uk/

Remember, if you’re not sure who to speak to, you can always arrange to speak to your Residence Life Mentor or attend the Residence Life Mentor Drop-in.

You can also arrange to speak to a Student Support and Wellbeing Officer at Residence Life via email at residentsupport@sheffield.ac.uk.