student life – The Orbital

Seasonal Depression: more than ‘down in the dumps’

14Nov

By Beth McCleanNo Comments

Lifestyle, News

Seasonal Depression: more than ‘down in the dumps’

With November drawing to a close, any remnants of warm afternoons or bright mornings have disappeared. December often marks a time of festivities, curling up around fireplaces or sharing blankets with friends. However, it can also become a time when mental health plummets and you feel at your lowest. If your mental health rapidly fluctuates in line with seasons, there could be a medical condition behind it. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as seasonal depression, is a mental health condition that 1 in 15 people may have, according to the NHS. The most common type, “winter depression”, is where people become more affected by symptoms of depression during winter, with symptoms lessening in the warmer months. This is caused by a lack of sunlight, which can lowe...

Life at Royal Holloway as a Commuter Student

28Oct

By Amal AbdiNo Comments

Lifestyle

Life at Royal Holloway as a Commuter Student

Student who commute to university from home are growing in number. But, their specific experiences are often ignored in the student narrative. It might be difficult to understand why people choose to commute but for me and many of my friends, growing up in London, the idea of moving out for a university was not even something to contemplate. Of course, commuting is far cheaper than living on campus, especially with the scrapping of the maintenance grant now becoming a loan. The reality is that many students from working-class backgrounds, simply cannot afford for many reasons to leave their family homes and be straddled with so much debt. There are also cultural reasons for commuting, as some children are expected to stay at home throughout university. I commuted to Royal Holloway from W...

1Feb

By Chloe BuckNo Comments

Lifestyle

Putting your Health First

When the temperature decreases so can the state of your health. When you’re a student you are constantly around other people, making it a lot easier to pick up coughs and colds and other nasty bugs. On a positive note, it is possible to take control of your health and stay one step ahead to remain healthy. Having had an autumn term battling with health issues, here are some heartfelt tips... WATER, WATER & MORE WATER Stay hydrated - your body needs water to flush out toxins and function properly. Be aware of your alcohol, caffeine, sugar and salt intake. WRAP UP WARM Dig out that scarf, hat, mittens, coat and keep warm, especially when you’re at the SU! When you’re inside it’s easy to assume that the weather isn’t as cold as you think and not bother. The body loses most o...

28Jan

By No Comments

Features

A Home From Home

Choosing a house to live in is a daunting task, especially after the comfortable safety of university halls, where the worst that can happen is someone stealing your milk. The first thing you have to know is that estate agents will try and pressure you to put money down. They’re a business and you’re a customer, just make sure you’re clued up and savvy about it! There are a lot of estate agents and private landlords in Egham and Englefield Green, ask around for people’s experience of them before you commit and make sure you feel comfortable with who’s managing your property, otherwise, a year can feel like a long time. The second, and possibly most important thing, about second or third year housing is your housemates. How would you actually feel about living half a centimetre fro...

What we love about winter: Student Edition!

28Jan

By No Comments

Lifestyle

What we love about winter: Student Edition!

When it comes to winter, most students picture cold mornings, the dark walk home after a 4pm class, the dreaded radiator breakdown, and the inability to leave the house without 5 layers on- especially a struggle when you’re already late for lectures. However, there are some who love the winter. Mostly because the winter means December, and December means almost Christmas, and almost Christmas means no Uni work, and no Uni work means filling your days with lie-in’s, mince pies and blankets. What’s not to love? Well we've rounded up 5 things about winter which even the self-confessed summer lovers can’t help but love this time of year… 1. The excuse to buy that new coat you wanted. So it may be £79 and completely impractical for rain, but what’s £79 when you can not only look great, but al...