To help you stay happy and healthy and beat the winter blues, we’ve put together some self-care tips and information on activities you can do over the next few weeks. This includes both on and off-campus activities.
We recognise that the winter period can be a difficult time for students for a variety of reasons.
To help you stay happy and healthy, and beat the winter blues, we’ve put together some self-care tips and information on activities you can do over the next few weeks. This includes both on and off-campus activities.
Self-care tips:
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Exercise and staying active is great for mental health. We understand the struggle to exercise during the cold, but exercise can be anything from going to the gym, swimming, playing a sport, or simply doing some pilate and yoga stretches in your living room.
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Reach out for support whenever you need it. The winter period can be a hard time, so we encourage you to reach out for support whenever you need it - whether it be a friend, family member or anyone else. There is a list of support resources at the end of this article for you.
Affordable activities to do in London:
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Visit free Christmas light displays: Oxford Street, Regent Street, Carnaby Street, Covent Garden, Seven Dials, Southbank.
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Walk through free-entry Christmas markets: Southbank Winter Market, Kingston Christmas Market, Greenwich Market, Leicester Square Market.
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Visit free museums and galleries: Tate Modern, Tate Britain, V&A, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, National Gallery, Museum of London Docklands.
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Take winter walks in parks: Richmond Park, Wimbledon Common, Battersea Park, Hampstead Heath, Bushy Park, Southbank river walk.
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Attend free or donation-based carol services: St Martin-in-the-Fields, Southwark Cathedral, Westminster Cathedral, local churches.
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Visit free indoor food markets for low-cost meals: Borough Market, Spitalfields, Mercato Metropolitano, Brixton Village, Tooting Market.
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Help Others and Get to know the community: Join community events or volunteering opportunities that are free to participate in (food banks, winter warm spaces, local craft fairs, charity events.
Find more information on free or budget-friendly things to do in London here.
Activities and events on-campus:
All on-campus events and activities are posted on Nest, which you can view here. We recommend keeping an eye on the Nest website over the next few weeks as events and activities get added.
You can also view all the information you need about the University winter closure on Nest here.
On-campus support:
You can also ring 999 for the Emergency Services.
If you lose your student ID card, please visit Nest or, outside of their opening hours, visit Security Services based at Digby Stuart.
Other Support Services:
For support with alcohol or other substance use:
Mental Health support services: