Live Well, Feel Great

Hi,

As Assessment Period Two approaches, it’s easy to get caught up in deadlines and study sessions. You might be feeling ready to finish the academic year, or you might be feeling nervous about upcoming assessments. This is your reminder to take a minute to reflect on your journey from the start of the year until now and all you’ve achieved and experienced so far.

However you're feeling, we're here to guide you through it. This edition of Live Well, Feel Great is all about how looking after your physical and mental wellbeing can help you ace your assessments.

In this edition, we’re sharing how to balance productivity and self-care and the best ways to take a break. Plus, quick and easy recipes and the reasons all-nighters are harming your academic performance not helping it.

Looking after your body

Books and bites: Brain food recipes to fuel your study session

For some of you, this may be your first assessment season, and something that's often overlooked is nourishing your body with the right food. Check out these quick and easy recipes from Student Life Content Creator Michelle and King's Food.

Fitness anytime, anywhere with LesMills+

Want a quick workout from home? There's something for everyone, from mindfulness, to HIIT to yoga through our on-demand fitness content from LesMills+.

Enroll to try LesMills+ classes.

A white bowl with colourful fruit and nuts

Food for thought: Eating your way to exam success

Superfoods and brainfoods are buzzwords we see all the time.

Are they just a marketing hack, or can certain foods really change how you perform in assessments?

A dark desk with a plant, a lamp and a clock at 1am

U up? Why all-nighters are harming your academic performance, not helping it

Late nights in the library might be seen as a trademark of student life, but it’s important to rest during the assessment period. Cramming before an exam, rushing to meet a deadline, or working through the night fuelled by nothing but coffee and determination can have a negative impact on your mental health and wellbeing. Find out why all-nighters aren't the answer.

Switch up your assessment routine with nature

As assessment season approaches, the pressure to stay indoors and study for long hours can feel overwhelming. While academic success is important, so is maintaining your wellbeing. Read Michelle's tips for taking a nature break.

Looking after your mind

Study hard, rest harder

"Hi, I'm Michelle, and I'm studying Global Health, Social Justice, and Public Policy. With a few coursework deadlines coming up and my dissertation, I know the next few months will be challenging."

"And I'm Akshara, a first-year medical student. It's been a whirlwind of lectures and studying but I'm loving the challenge. Read our top tips for balancing productivity and self-care."

Get 24/7 wellbeing support on Spectrum.Life

Try a huge range of wellbeing support, including online yoga classes, nutrition plans, recipe ideas, mindfulness and much more.

Find out more and register for Spectrum.Life.

Stress Less

April is Stress Awareness Month, if you’re finding assessment season stressful read our tips for managing anxious feelings.

A man closing his eyes in front of a barren tree

10 minutes mindfulness break

Box Breathing: Inhale for four seconds. Hold your breath for four seconds. Exhale for four seconds and repeat the process.
Stretching: Stand up and gently stretch your neck, shoulders, back and legs to release tension.
Splash your face with cold water: Focus on the coolness and the sensations on your face, breathing deeply as you do so. Do this for 20-30 seconds.
5-4-3-2-1 grounding: Name five things you can visually observe, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste.
Positive affirmations: Place a hand over your heart and close your eyes. Silently repeat two or three positive affirmations like "I am doing my best" or "Everything will be fine".

Give your brain a break

Spring into our seasonal crossword.

Building connections

Your mind matters - Take Time Out this exam period!

A woman outside at a stand with the text 'Take Time Out 28 April - 23 May Your Mind Matters'

Are you looking to get ahead of the exam stress? Or maybe you'd like to recharge after hours spent in the library?

From 28 April to 23 May, you can drop in on all four King's campuses for Doggy-Destress, VR against Exam Anxiety, Seed Planting, Mini Massages and many more activities! Spend more time relaxing and recharging, to take care of your mind.

Discover all of the Take Time Out activities.

Three students on the grass in front of a building

Two (or more) heads are better than one

Instead of tackling your study sessions alone, why not form a group or join an Academic Skills session?

Break down tricky topics, get fresh insight and feel less isolated. Check out our workshop picks and group study tips.

Things to do in London this spring

Spring is doing its thing in London. You might have deadlines to meet and revision around the corner but it's important to find a balance and take breaks. Why not spend your study breaks exploring the city? Check out our pick of things to do in London this spring.

Recommendations

Watch: Jack Rooke's comedy drama Big Boys on Channel 4 about two students who strike up an unlikely friendship when they're thrown together at university. Content warning: Contains themes of mental health and suicide.

Listen: Four tricks your mind plays (and how to avoid them) - Exam Study Expert podcast.

Read: Student Minds' guide to managing the stress of deadlines at university.

Live Well, Feel Heard

Your health and wellbeing matter to us and we want to make sure we're sharing the advice and guidance that matters most to you. By taking a few minutes to fill out this simple questionnaire, you'll help us understand your habits, share feedback on our Live Well, Feel Great online magazine, and guide future health and wellbeing content.

As a thank you, we'll run a prize draw one month after we send this edition of Live Well, Feel Great, giving you the chance to win one of these:

A £50 King's Food voucher loaded onto your King's ID card
A £50 Love2shop voucher
A £50 discount code for the KCLSU shop

Complete the survey now

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King's College London, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom