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End of Term Review 2 December 2015
Please note – the format of the workshop will differ from this powerpoint
Adam Sandelson
LSE Student Counselling Service
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Aims
Review progress over the first term
Anticipate future challenges Practical approaches Stress management skills Sources of advice and help
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Part 1
What progress have you made in the first term?
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Initial challenges
Transition - leaving behind the familiar and adapting to the new
Coping with loss, after initial excitement subsides
Meeting new people Academic challenges
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The Social Side of Settling in
Making new friends Meeting people from similar and
different backgrounds Keeping contact with people from
home Balancing from work and leisure. Being realistic about what to expect Give yourself time to adjust Looking after yourself - food and
sleep
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Settling in: The Academic side
Adjusting to a new level of study Adjusting to self-directed learning Trying to keep previous standards Adjusting reading strategies Presentations and essays The tutor relationship
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Academic challenges
Feeling overwhelmed with material
Adapting to a new style of learning
Needing time to develop an independent critical voice
Anxiety can lead to procrastination
We may disguise avoidance by being very busy
We may find things to do that are interesting or even useful, but don't contribute towards the main goal
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Reviewing expectations
What were your initial expectations? Social Cultural Academic
How has your actual experience worked out?
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Part 2
What are the future work challenges facing you as a student?
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Future work challenges Sustaining momentum Academic support Divergent tutor/ student
expectations Essays, exams and the
dissertation Making decisions about
the future – jobs, internships, PhD’s, location, relationships
Sorting out your whole life in 1 year
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Underlying dynamics
Trying to please others Wanting to be the best Being a perfectionist The family / historic context for your
success, eg keeping the family together
Setting yourself impossible targets Re-enacting anxiety, trauma, failure
…
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Dynamics of study
Pastrelationships
Relationshipwith LSE or
course of studyor tutor or …
Currentrelationships
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Keeping perfectionism in check
Perfectionist attitudes can reduce achievement
They deny you satisfaction and cause you to achieve far less
Perfectionism is undesirable and an illusion! Experiment with your standards for success:
try for 80% Focus on the process of doing an activity not
just the end result. Evaluate success in terms of what you
accomplished and whether you enjoyed the task
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Part 3
What are the practical ways of dealing with future challenges?
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Practical approaches Revise and develop your study skills Time management skills Realistic and achieveable goals Short term targets and longer term
strategies Recognise achievements Concentrate on the task, not the
outcome Talk to others, ask for help and support
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Focussing on the task
Break down huge activities into small manageable tasks
Remember past successes - you are likely to pass!
Allow time for breaks … space to breathe … and think
Mind maps, scribble ideas Go for a walk, talk out
loud
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Part 4
Review your Stress Management Skills
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Stress Management Skills Physical, behavioural, cognitive Regularly switch off with some kind of
physical activity Good self care – sleep, diet, caffeine,
alcohol and nicotine Allow yourself time out without guilt Acknowledge anxiety, rather than
denying it. Ask if your negative thoughts are
realistic
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Challenging negative thoughts Apply ‘Socratic reasoning’ or
imagine this being tested in a Court of Law
Identify the negative thought Eg, I can’t do this Course
Ascertain the evidence For and Against
Ask if you are making a ‘thinking error’
Propose a more reasonable alternative thought
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Thinking errors All or nothing thinking Discounting the positive/ tunnel
vision only seeing the negative side of things
Overgeneralizing because it happened in the past it will
happen again in the future Believing a catastrophe will happen Emotional Reasoning
If I feel it then it must be true
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Evaluate your approach
What are the biggest challenges facing you over the coming year
Where can you most usefully improve your existing work strategies and coping skills?
LSE Student Counselling Service – KSW.507
Free and confidential Mainly short term counselling Book appointments in advance See Website for
Stress management handouts Self help resources Relaxation MP3’s
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Sources of advice and help
Academic Adviser Departmental StaffDisability and Wellbeing Service Student Services
Centre TLC study skills advisors Learning World Student Union and Advice Centre Medical Centre
Mental Health and Wellbeing Advisors Deans
Don't wait until problems have grown impossibly largeIt’s OK to ask for help earlier
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Forthcoming Groups
Stress Management Group (3 weeks)
Self Esteem Group (3 weeks)
Therapy Group
Places on all groups need to be booked in advance. Please see the website, Call Ext 3627, visit KSW.507 or email [email protected].