School of Mathematics and Computer Science Updates

First of all, a dad joke as is my tradition :-)

Don't use "beef stew" as a computer password. It's not stroganoff.

Supporting your friends and family

During this time, it is essential to look out for each other. Here are some things you can do to support your loved ones:

• Reach out - stay connected with people even if you can't see each other in person - send a text, make a call or be inventive online with your university community.
• Check-in - ask how this is affecting your friends and family, and if there is anything you can do to help each other. Check-in with those who might be at more of risk during this time to see if there is anything you can do to help.
• Stay informed - make sure you are following and sharing reliable information from trusted sources. 

Staying at home and your mental health

Currently, everybody in the UK is being asked to remain at home. The likelihood of not being able to leave your house much, if at all, perhaps upsetting, and could affect your mental well-being. This is why you must take proactive steps to give yourself a feeling of normalcy, keep a routine, and do things you enjoy. Some samples of things you can do include:

• Stay in touch - keep in touch with your family and friends, you can still connect from a distance - call your friend, have a video-call catch up with your family or check in with someone on social media.
• Continue the things you enjoy - try reading that novel you've meant to start, watch that new series or try a new craft.
• Get into a daily routine - you might find it valuable to plan out your time in advance and know what you are doing each day, so you have something to look ahead to. 
• Look after your personal environment - create a space that you can use and feel comfortable in.
• Take a break from social media if you need to - if the updates are getting too much, it is okay to take a step back. 
• Check-in with your university and students' union - this will help you to understand any changes to your course and assessments, where you can go for assistance and institution-specific updates. https://www.wlv.ac.uk/news-and-events/coronavirus/

As always the school representatives are HERE FOR YOU, you can still get in touch by email, if you want a call back I can also do that, my email address is jeffrey.thompson@wlv.ac.uk

Don't be alone, we are all here to support you.