Blog: A time to reflect
Hey everyone! I’m Bella, a second-year chemistry student and in this blog, I want to take a moment to pause and reflect, as we are coming to the end of term and about to head off for the Christmas holidays.
For me personally, the last term has been quite a juggle, even getting used to living in Selly Oak at first was a shock to the system. I felt like I was already in such a different place just from getting through first year and becoming familiar with the university day to day. On top of university work I’ve juggled a part time job, applications for a year in industry and personal events that are all great but also demanding of time and emotions. You’ll have your own version of these challenges, whether you’re a fresher leaving home for the first time, later in your studies, or writing your PhD. It’s worth looking back and thinking about the things we are all doing everyday to navigate our full lives, because, yes- university can be the ‘best time of our lives’ but it can also be very overwhelming.
It would be so easy to keep the fast pace of life going over Christmas and jump into social plans or revising for January exams. It does feel that the holidays should be a time to pause and give ourselves credit for all the things big and small that we have achieved. Whether that’s making the 9am’s, managing our tight budgets, or putting ourselves out there to connect with new people even when we feel like hiding away. Just think about the amount of times you’ve stretched your comfort zone this year and give yourself a bit of credit- what would be on your list? What surprised you about this year? What would you like to thank yourself for?
Hitting the end of term could feel like driving along in fifth h gear on the motorway then having to suddenly slow down to second . I believe it is useful to do this, because for me I can best acknowledge what I’ve done well when I’m making an active effort to decompress. I do this by writing in my diary and even checking in with where I was up to a year ago, looking at how far I’ve come. I remember finding the first Christmas at home from Uni quite an adjustment to combine my two different lives. I can imagine this would be especially true for people who are returning to a life in a very different culture. However, reconnecting with home life and identity can be restorative, especially before a new year of challenges.
I suspect many of us have mixed feelings whilst we head into 2026. The new term will bring new opportunities and a fresh start to try the things we haven’t had chance to. Knowing this can be quite daunting, especially after a stressful year, perhaps the last Uni year for some with the changes this will bring. Let’s reflect on this, what do we want to achieve? What would you like to bring with you into 2026? What would you like to say to your future self- you at the end of 2026?
If you’re finding it hard to face this, you are not alone. Sometimes reflection is not something we want to. The Time to Talk campaign is something that I’d really encourage you to look at. The Uni offers well-being services for therapeutic support that I tried for the first time this year and found really helpful and flexible around my busy life. For people who need something more accessible the UBHeard service fits the brief.
I’m going to make a conscious effort before 2026 begins to pause and notice how far I’ve come this past year. I hope this has helped you to do the same and you can take a well-deserved break to recharge before the new term begins.
Written by Isabella Grace