| So the counselling services we offer deal with any problems arising from your studies, |
| or in your life outside the university. |
| Let's take academic counselling. |
| If you're confused about subjects or how to combine them in your degree, |
| then we can advise you and discuss the career you are aiming for, |
| so that you can see it all in context. |
| We can also chase up your tutor if you're not getting proper feedback on how you are getting on in your subject. |
| Besides help with academic problems, |
| you may also need personal counselling: |
| if you think you're already under stress, |
| well, just wait till classes begin next week. |
| You'll have to start adjusting to teaching and learning methods that may be unfamiliar to you, |
| as well as the mounting pressure as the deadline for that first assignment creeps up on you. |
| And of course, you have to cope with all this without your usual social network - |
| you know, the social contacts, family and friends you could normally rely on for help. |
| All of this causes anxiety. |
| Studying overseas can trigger a personal crisis - |
| you may have left a lot of what you might call 'unfinished business' back in your own country, |
| or you may have interrupted personal relationships |
| or even sometimes have broken them off to come overseas, |
| and so the student often feels lonely, unhappy, unmotivated |
| and unable to concentrate on studying. |
| Or there may be other things bothering you. |
| Our resident chaplain can offer you spiritual guidance if that's what you want, |
| or we can put you in touch with community groups that can provide you with social contacts and friendship. |
| What about exam stress? |
| It affects nearly everyone to some extent, |
| but especially overseas students like yourselves. |
| There may be a huge amount of family pressure on you to succeed, |
| and if you fail a subject or drop out of a course because it's too difficult |
| then your self-esteem can suffer. |
| But it's not the end of the world if you don't pass an exam - |
| I had to resit First Year Anthropology, so I can certainly offer you a sympathetic ear! |
| Anyway, exam failure can lead to worrying changes in the way you normally behave. |
| You may also be off your food, |
| or you may have dietary problems |
| because the local food is not to your liking and upsets you, |
| and this can affect your health and studies. |
| Glenda Roberts is our dietician in the Health Service |
| and we can put you on to her. |
| And we all have money problems, don't we? |
| But remember, full-time students can get a low-interest loan of up to six hundred dollars to buy books |
| and for similar study-related expenses. |
| That's right, |
| and you can get double that amount if you can't afford an item of equipment you need for your course - |
| a musical instrument, for example. |
| And it doesn't stop there. |
| When you move into a flat, |
| starting-up expenses, including furniture for it, |
| can be covered by a loan through the Welfare Service. |
| See Jill Freeman for details. |
| Can we help you? |
| Well, last academic year, in spite of staff cuts, |
| we counselled 240 international students for a total of 2600 hours counselling, |
| and, finally we won all but just 1 of the 12 appeals that we launched on behalf of students. |
| Not too bad for an understaffed service, don't you think? |
| That's all from me. |
| Thank you. |