During various recruiting events, we had several interesting interactions with members of the Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic Committee, as well as Student Union representatives at the International Forum, who brought up important concerns. Many International as well as home students struggle to find sources of mental health support in universities. Furthermore, students from ethnic minority groups believe that establishing a support system away from home is important, but putting themselves out there to find new circles of friends feels challenging. The most prominent remark was that the mental health needs of ethnic minority groups are extremely complex and open to numerous interpretations. What appears to be minor inconveniences to one person may be the cause of stress in another. On the surface, adapting to new types of food, linguistic nuances and social customs may appear to be minor hurdles; yet, these small adaptations can add up, resulting in feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and an intense feeling of being out of place. These observations reiterate the significance of this study which aims to recognise the hidden nature of students’ mental health difficulties.

This role is not only rewarding as it enables me to make a small difference in the mental health landscape but also because it gives me an opportunity to work with an encouraging research team, allowing me to learn and enjoy this process. Of course, getting involved in a research study presents its own set of challenges. While balancing between work and academics, there are days when it feels like there aren't enough hours in the day. But it is not all work and no play! In between research meetings and study sessions, I make time to enjoy the vibrant city of Sheffield. While window shopping in the City Centre or peacefully walking in Weston Park, I remind myself how grateful I am for this opportunity.

As I continue my journey as a Student Advisor, I'm ecstatic to further contribute to this initiative by helping the research team to organise exciting student workshops and providing insights to capture the mental health needs of a diverse student group. So here's to embracing uncertainty, venturing beyond our comfort zones, and seizing opportunities that come our way!

Growing up in the UK, the prospect of University was something always etched in my mind. I was encouraged by teachers and parents alike, and therefore it was a path I always saw myself following at the end of A-Levels. Conversations around University with my teachers and parents couldn’t take place without constant allusions to stigmas about mental health at University. As the end of my A-Levels approached, I found these stigmas loomed larger and larger, to the point where I believed it was something I understood without any first-hand experience of it.

Now in my third and final year at University, studying English Literature, I can confidently say that I have encountered these stigmas first-hand, and understand completely the need for discussion about mental health and wellbeing experiences of University students, by students. Within the wider stigmas about mental health at University, are those relating to men, specifically the struggle to come forth about mental health and wellbeing difficulties. I can attest, as a man, that we do in fact struggle at times to be as communicative as we ought to be about what we’re going through. Also, being a student at University doesn’t make this any easier. I will never forget what it was like settling into my first year at University. My first time away from home, left with nothing but new responsibilities and living with strangers who were in the exact same position. It goes without saying that there were times in which I struggled in that first year, even during the second year, and if we’re being completely honest, even to this day. I have come to learn that life at University will always have its moments of isolation, but by any means, they don’t have to be suffered alone.

Talking is the answer. As a male student, I have seen just how far a simple conversation can go. As mentioned earlier, ‘us guys’ can find it hard to get the words out when something’s bothering us. Not only that, but we can struggle to ask our friends what’s wrong when something’s clearly bothering them. Instead of asking the questions that often need to be asked, we will usually reach out through gestures. For example, “Do you fancy a game of pool?”, or “Wanna go have a kick about?” have typically been my go-to’s. Don’t get me wrong, this is something I love about male camaraderie, and oftentimes it is exactly what we need when we’re feeling down, especially at University. 

You may notice your new flatmate has been a bit dispirited the last few days, but you’ve only just met him, so you don’t know whether he’d be comfortable with talking about what’s got him down. On top of that, you’ve been feeling a bit homesick yourself, and you’re secretly hoping someone will ask you how you’re feeling. So what do you do? You ask your flatmate if he wants to go and watch the footy, or do a food shop together. Maybe this doesn’t get right to the questions that need to be asked, but it breaks down those barriers to familiarity. All the same, those thoughts tend to linger, and it is not until we talk about them that we can start to dispel them.

Working closely within the SHARE Project, I have been given the opportunity to have those conversations I wouldn’t necessarily have. Having lived and dealt with many of the mental health and wellbeing obstacles University presents you with, I felt confident going into my third year to have engaging discussions with fellow students who have either faced the same problems I have, or problems unique to their experience. I felt a burning desire to take what I’ve experienced and feed it back to the University in a way that yields positive outcomes. Fortunately, I came across the SHARE Project whilst settling into my third year, and saw it as the perfect opportunity to land myself in a position where I can achieve these goals. Of course, I have these sorts of discussions with my friends on a day-to-day basis, but the SHARE Project has provided me with the sense that these conversations are ultimately leading to insights which will benefit and protect future students for years to come.

One instance in which I saw the SHARE Project’s potential was a couple of weeks ago, when I attended a BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) Students’ committee. I got the chance to have incredibly insightful conversations about mental health with students who represented a diverse range of cultural perspectives. This experience allowed me to achieve some of those goals I’d set out for myself at the beginning of the year, as I was afforded the opportunity to compare my own experiences with other students, whilst also learning about theirs. This has since instilled in me a greater confidence to speak about a diverse range of mental health and wellbeing experiences going forward. Not only that, but it has given me a renewed desire to listen to those who deserve to be listened to. And if there’s one thing the SHARE Project has taught me, it’s that everyone deserves to be listened to when it comes to speaking about mental health and wellbeing.

This is precisely what the SHARE Project is about—bridging gaps in knowledge about student experience through the simple process of talking about it.