Stridi

Hi everyone, welcome to Stridi Towers. It’s Matt here. If you’ve been with us for a while then you’ll know me as the author of a few of our advice articles. But if you’re new to us, I’ve probably just had a chat with you on social media, introduced Stridi and given you a link to this blog. We’re launching our first ever advertising campaign, to help spread the word and reach out to more of you, so that we can help to improve the lives of uni students who struggle with mental health issues. Photo by Samir Jammal from Pexels My main job is to overlook and manage our blog posts and media activity. I edit all of our blogs and get them ready for publication, before handing over to Josh, our founder, while we discuss how best to spread the word on social media. I also interact with our guest writers and help them to get their story out there. This is something we value highly at Stridi – being true to our readers and their experiences and giving you all a platform to speak amongst p...

Hi everyone! It's Matt here. Ever heard of FOMO? Fear of Missing Out. It’s a concept that is synonymous with modern life.  Everything is online these days and you have to always be seen to be doing something cool. Going to the gym? Better make sure you check in on Facebook. Meeting friends for lunch? Get those pouty faces ready. Hashtag Social Distancing. FOMO is particularly associated with social media and mental health. Now, this isn’t an academic essay, and so I’m not going to produce a load of references, but I’m sure you’re aware that there is a link between social media usage and mental health issues.  Photo by Polina Zimmerman from Pexels Many of us don’t know a world without Facebook, twitter or Instagram. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s just the speed that the world has evolved in recent years. We have grown up with technology as a second nature, and that has provided some handy skills for life. I remember once hearing about so...

Quick Read By Josh First of all, Happy Mental Health Awareness Week. For many this is the hardest Mental Health Awareness Week they've ever faced. Social isolation, loneliness, anxiety, depression - these are some of the challenges that people are facing. Photo by cottonbro from Pexels For a lot of us, we've gone home to our families and this means that you have the opportunity to be closer than ever with your support network.  So how can you make the most of this situation? Family is a massively important part of our lives and that's why communication is so important.  Remove Distractions  Before you try and engage in conversation, get rid of any and all distractions. Modern times are dictated by notifications, messages and updates. Photo by Tracy Le Blanc from Pexels Get these out of the way, turn the TV off and actually have a conversation with those closest to you.  Pay Attention Only 10% of our communication is...

By Josh  Self-isolation can be a really difficult time so it's important to remember how to effectively use your time. See it as an opportunity for personal growth, not quarantine. Here is a quick read to give you some advice!  Step 1: Hygiene  Make sure you continue with personal hygiene not only to beat COVID-19 but also to help with a positive mindset. Stick to the same routine you have for work/university/school etc. and treat it like any other day. Wake up at the same time you always do and have a shower, clean your teeth and whatever else you  usually do. The brain uses this routine as a way of getting itself fired up for the day. If you begin to fall out of this rhythm your brain won't be as sharp and it will take you a lot longer to get going in the morning.    Photo by Adrienn from Pexels   Step 2: The Default Diary Photo by Jess Bailey Designs from Pexels Sit down at 9am and create what is known as a Default Diary . In da...

Hello! It's Matt here. Welcome back to Stridi Towers. It’s the time of year when everyone is meeting potential housemates, fitting in house viewings between lectures and putting your name down on that perfect house right next to the bus stop. Even if it does have a small kitchen. That is, unless you’re lucky enough to have found your perfect set of housemates in first year, and you don’t need to move again for the whole of uni.  Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels But if you’re not quite so fortunate, I’m here to provide you with a few tips for finding the perfect house, as well as the perfect housemates. First of all, I'll clarify that its worth contacting your university, as many unis have a message board for people looking for housemates. Or, at the very least, they'll be able to point you in the direction of the accomodation team, who will have some handy information for you. However, if you’ve reached third year and you’re a house-hunting...