Physical Illness and Injury
If you are in need of medical care, you can find your nearest medical service using the NHS Service Finder.
If you are on campus, the nearest Accident and Emergency is at Hull Royal Infirmary. For minor injuries or walk-in medical attention, you can also go to Beverley Urgent Treatment Centre.
If you are unsure, you can always ring NHS 111 for advice.
Active wellbeing
Hull Sport provides a range of activities, including drop-in sessions like turn up and play football or beginners yoga. Whatever your level of fitness, it's a great way to meet new people and build confidence while improving your health.
Our Active Wellbeing programme can help you improve your mental wellbeing by taking part in physical activity. If you meet the criteria, we can offer you vouchers for the Allam Sports Centre and in some cases, one-to-one sessions with mentors.
Safe sex
To help you stay safe, Yorkshire MESMAC offers a range of advice and services on campus including safe sex kits and testing for STIs.
Keep an eye out for MESMAC in student central on Wednesday afternoons or visit their website to find out more.
Drug use
Whatever your attitude is towards drugs, it’s important to be aware of the risks to your physical and mental health and potential legal consequences. Possession or usage of controlled substances in University Accommodation is considered a disciplinary offence in the Accommodation Misconduct policy.
The best way to keep safe is to avoid drugs but if you are considering using, here are some things to take into account:
- Unlike alcohol, there’s no way of telling the strength of illegal drugs, or legal highs.
- Everyone’s tolerance is different and substances may impact people differently.
- Mixing drugs is dangerous and can lead to unpredictable consequences (including overdose). This applies to mixing with legal substances such as alcohol or prescription drugs.
- If you have taken drugs, let your friends know in case you need support later. Likewise, if you know that one of your friends has taken something, keep an eye out for them and keep them safe.
If you need to talk in confidence to someone, you can make a confidential appointment by making an enquiry through the MyHull Portal or calling 01482 462222.
We also work closely with Renew, the local community drug and alcohol service. You can self-refer to Renew or ask us to make a referral on your behalf. Renew’s practitioners can meet students at the Central Hub.
Alcohol use
Drinking socially can be an enjoyable part of life. However, when taken to excess it can cause difficulties. Reducing how much you drink can have benefits like weight loss, clearer skin, better sleep, improved mental health and a reduced risk of developing serious illnesses.
You can find out how many units of alcohol you're drinking - and what it might mean for your health - using this calculator.
- Let your friends and family know that you're trying to cut down so that they don't pressure you into drinking more.
- Drink smaller measures or alternate with non-alcoholic drinks.
- Set a limit for how much you'll spend on alcohol, or only take a certain amount of cash out (but make sure you still have enough for a taxi home).
- Have a pint of water before you start drinking and don't pre-drink - it'll only cut your night short if you're too drunk to get into the club.
- Avoid drinking every day - aim for at least two alcohol-free days a week.
- Try keeping a record of how much you drink. Apps like DrinkAware can track how much money you've saved - and the number of calories you've cut - by not drinking.
If you need to talk in confidence to someone, you can make a confidential appointment by making an enquiry through the MyHull Portal or calling 01482 462222.
We also work closely with Renew, the local community drug and alcohol service. You can self-refer to Renew or ask one us to make a referral on your behalf. Renew’s practitioners can meet students at the Central Hub.
Top tips for wellbeing:
Don’t keep it to yourself
Don’t bottle up your worries, talk about your feelings with friends, family, or your academic support tutor.
It’s all about balance
Develop a timetable that balances study with social activities and time to relax. Keeping up with your hobbies and connecting with others are all important elements of good wellbeing
Stay connected
You’ll be meeting lots of new people and making new friends, but holding on to the connections we have with people who care and know us well is really important
Don’t compare yourself
You are unique and your journey through University is unique. Don’t spend energy comparing yourself to others. It might seem that everyone else is managing brilliantly, but everyone is on their own journey and will experience their own challenges along the way. Accept yourself for the amazing person you are and be proud of your achievements!
Stay engaged
Being engaged with your course and your department and having a sense of purpose will help you to maintain positive wellbeing. Attend your lectures, look for other opportunities to get involved with your department and remember to find your passion.