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Mental health and wellbeing

Tips and support for managing deadline stress

 
How to manage deadlines at university – Gaia's top tips

Exams and assessment deadlines can bring on additional stress. Check out our handy tips and support options to help you manage exam and deadline stress and look after yourself.

If you find that your mood is having an impact on your studies, personal life, or that you are struggling to manage them yourself, you might want to consider speaking to one of our specialist teams for further advice and support.

Top Tips

  • Make a realistic plan that you can stick to. Make sure you include regular breaks. Why not use our revision timetable?
  • Our NTU Wellbeing team has created this guide with top tips for managing stress.
  • We all have our own study styles and stress tolerances. Try not to compare to others. Do what works for you.
  • It might sound obvious, but make sure your basic needs are met. Ensure you get enough sleep and eat regularly. Sleep will help you retain information better. Eating well will keep your energy levels up. Check out our sleep resources and our recipe tips and power snacks.
  • Make sure you're having fun too! Just because you are studying for exams and meeting deadlines doesn't mean that you stop doing things that make you happy like exercise, listening to music, and meeting with friends.
  • If you're struggling with low mood, keeping yourself motivated, or banishing negative thoughts, our Wellbeing team has created some guides that can help.
  • Need someone to talk to? Then check out the Peer Chat from the Mix, one-to-one digital support. Chat to someone of similar age about stress, relationships, loneliness and anything on your mind.
  • Be kind to yourself!

Believe in yourself, hard work pays off. Remember, if you need a break, support is never far away. Visit the library or self-refer through support and wellbeing form if you feel you need a little extra help. You can always visit The Den, in Newton building on our City Campus, or our Clifton Campus Den in the ground floor of Mary Anne Evans, to take some time out and relax

Support and Resources

Self Care 

Looking ahead to the final term – Top tips for your final term form Student Minds.

Action For Happiness – Free calendars, app and information to keep you happy.

CALM Zone App – Information, Tools, and Advice. Our CALM guides provide practical info and advice on what you're going through.

NTU Moves App – Whether you’re a complete beginner or a self-proclaimed fitness guru, NTU Moves will encourage and reward you, in your journey to stay active.

Request additional support

Your mental health and wellbeing

Making friends, getting involved and loneliness

We know that making friends at university isn’t always easy. Having healthy friendships is linked to improved mental health and wellbeing and can help you feel less lonely.

We have put together some top tips for making friends and getting involved below.

  • HealthyNTU Events & Activities: Our team organises events and activities across the year on all campuses. It’s a great way to try new things and meet new people. Visit our events page to see the latest opportunities.
  • What’s On at the Uni
  • HealthyNTU Student Blogs: Blogs written by other NTU students on a range of topics
  • CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) – Tips on how to make friends
  • Student Minds – check out their advice and tips on loneliness for University students
  • Check out the Student Life page for other helpful opportunities including NTU Sport and societies
  • NTSU – the Student Union has lots of different societies and events, why not try one and meet students with similar interests to yours and socialise regularly?
  • Check out the Global Lounges which are dedicated spaces for chilling, learning something new and getting involved in opportunities and events.

NTU Arts

From bands to book clubs, crafting to concerts, exhibitions to excursions to arts organisations across the city, NTU can help you broaden your creative horizons.

Literature: From open mic poetry nights to writing workshops, book exchanges and book clubs, the reading and writing opportunities on offer through NTU Arts are diverse.

Music: Whether you play an instrument, are looking to learn, or prefer to appreciate live music from the audience, you’ll find endless opportunities for musical expression.

Visual arts: Explore Bonington Gallery (our contemporary exhibition space), learn a new skill at one of our creative workshops and discover arts organisations across the city.

You can find out about the upcoming creative events by signing up to the NTU Arts Mailing List.

Suicide prevention

University can be a stressful time especially during exams and assessments. Every year we run the Stamp Out Stress (SOS) campaign. The campaign provides support, opportunities, advice and activities to help you Stamp Out Stress.

Top tips

  • Make a realistic plan that you can stick to. Make sure you include regular breaks. Why not use our revision timetable?
  • Our NTU Wellbeing team has created this guide with top tips for managing stress.
  • We all have our own study styles and stress tolerances. Try not to compare to others. Do what works for you
  • It might sound obvious, but make sure your basic needs are met. Ensure you get enough sleep and eat regularly. Sleep will help you retain information better. Eating well will keep your energy levels up. Check out our sleep resources and our recipe tips and power snacks.
  • Make sure you're having fun too! Just because you are studying for exams and meeting deadlines doesn't mean that you stop doing things that make you happy like exercise, listening to music, and meeting with friends.
  • If you're struggling with low mood, keeping yourself motivated, or banishing negative thoughts, our wellbeing team has created some guides that can help.
  • Need someone to talk to? Then check out the Peer Chat from the Mix, one-to-one digital support. Chat to someone of similar age about stress, relationships, loneliness and anything on your mind.
  • Be kind to yourself!

Believe in yourself, hard work pays off. Remember, if you need a break, support is never far away. Visit the library or self-refer through support and wellbeing form if you feel you need a little extra help. You can always visit our City Campus Den in Newton, or our Clifton Campus Den in the ground floor of Mary Anne Evans, to take some time out and relax.

Study and examination support

  • Academic Skills and Knowledge (ASK) Hub – your one-stop access to tools and resources to help with study skills, information and research skills, academic writing and Maths.
  • Visit NTU Library for one-stop access to study skills support.
  • Hear one of our students discuss their exam tips.
  • Read the StudentMinds article on managing exam stress.
  • Our NTU Wellbeing team has created this guide on top study skills for success.
  • Check out Gaia's video below on top tips for managing deadlines at university!
  • Study with Merve – study along video's to keep you focused.

Eating disorders

Eating disorders can affect anyone of any age, gender, or background. There are many types of eating disorder. They range from anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder to body dysmorphia and pica. Find out more here about how to get help for yourself or a friend.

Support and advice for NTU students

You can get help from the First Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders (FREED) service. FREED is for 16 to 25-year-olds who've have had an eating disorder for three years or less. These include:

  • anorexia nervosa
  • bulimia nervosa
  • binge eating disorder
  • any other eating disorder.

Tips for supporting someone with an Eating Disorder

FREED can give you rapid access to specialised treatment. This can pay special attention to the challenges you may face in the early stages of an eating disorder.

To access support from FREED, make an appointment with your GP. They'll be able to refer you to the service. Visit FREED for more information.

Find more information and support about eating disorders:

Useful Resources

R: 3. Useful links and resources — BodyWhys

Sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep is really important for your health and wellbeing, but can often be one of the first things that is affected when we're feeling stressed. So why is it important to regularly get a good night's sleep?

What does sleeping do?

  • Recharges your body and brain – Sleep is like plugging yourself in overnight so you can function the next day.
  • Boosts your memory – What you study actually sinks in better when you sleep on it.
  • Keeps your mood in check – Less likely to be grumpy, snappy, or anxious.
  • Helps you stay healthy – Good sleep = stronger immune system = fewer colds, you may even avoid the infamous freshers flu.

What happens when you don’t sleep enough?

  • Brain fog & poor focus – You’ll find it harder to concentrate, remember stuff, or make good decisions.
  • Low mood & no motivation – You’re more likely to feel stressed, anxious, or just meh.
  • More snack cravings – Tired brains crave sugary or salty food, which can mess with your energy even more.
  • Weaker immune system – You get sick more easily when you’re running on empty.

What actually happens when you sleep?

You don’t just “switch off” – your brain and body go through four stages on repeat through the night (each cycle is ~90 mins):

  • Stage 1 (Light sleep): You’re dozing off, half-awake. Easy to wake up here. Just the warm-up!
  • Stage 2: Body temp drops, heart rate slows, brain gets into gear. Your brain starts sorting memories from the day.
  • Stage 3 (Deep sleep): Full body recovery mode. Your body heals, builds strength & fights off illness.
  • REM sleep: Brain lights up, you dream, emotions get processed. Creativity, learning & mood all benefit here.

You cycle through these stages four–six times a night, and each stage does something different for your brain and body.

💡 Student tip: “Catching up” on sleep at the weekend isn’t the same as getting regular sleep. Your brain loves a routine.

However, we know it isn’t always easy so we’ve gathered together some resources to help you manage your sleep.

Loss and grief

We all experience loss and grief of some form in our lifetime. There are no rules to how we grieve, and a lot depends on the circumstances. Loss and grief can have a big impact on our lives and our physical and mental state. One of the most powerful things we can do to help is being able to talk about how we are feeling. As hard as it might feel, talking can be a healing process. It's good to know about the help and support that is out there.

Support and help

  • The Loss Foundation – The Loss Foundation is a UK national cancer bereavement charity. We are dedicated to providing bereavement support to adults who have had a loved one die from cancer.
  • Cruse Bereavement Support – helping people through one of the most painful times in life – with bereavement support, information and campaigning.
  • AtaLoss – our aim is to ensure no one in the UK should be left without support when someone dies.
  • NottAlone – Information, advice and links to support services and resources.
  • SOBS – Offering UK peer-led support to adults impacted by suicide loss

NTU Chaplaincy team

Our NTU Chaplaincy service has significant experience of providing support to students in relation to bereavements and other types of losses. They support all students regardless of religious or spiritual beliefs or none and are able to support you for as long as you need and arrange convenient meeting times. You can book a Chaplaincy Pastoral Support appointment using our online form. If you would like to contact the team, please email faith@ntu.ac.uk and Richard.davey@ntu.ac.uk.

Online and telephone helplines – for confidential listening support:

Resources

  • Last updated: 06/05/2026