< Students

Returning to Study

If you are returning to university or college after going home for a funeral, or to spend time with your family you, should not worry about missed seminars, lectures or assignment deadlines. The university will have processes in place to ensure that your academic progress is not disadvantaged by your bereavement.

Meeting with your Personal Tutor or Director of Studies in your first week back is a good starting point for identifying priorities and setting up a support system.

Good points to discuss at this meeting are:

• Procedures for completing missed or rescheduled assessments (including an action plan for what you are going to do and what they are going to do)
• Guidance on catching up on missed work
• Resources at the university for coping with loss and grief

Explaining the purpose of the meeting and what you need to know before you set it up is a good way to ensure that you get the most out of it.

If any inquiries you make are not responded to efficiently, or you are not satisfied with the answers, do not hesitate to request more support.

Managing your workload

You might find that you do not work as well as you did before your loved one died, or that you struggle to focus more than you did before your loss. This is perfectly normal, and you should not be discouraged. There are lots of ways that you can manage your workload in order to stay organised and up to date with your work and deadlines.

• Set small goals

  Doing one core reading per week, or making one constructive comment in a seminar - and gradually increasing your goals can help you feel that you are making progress.

• Make a study plan

  Writing a timeline for when each of your assignments are due and creating a study plan for each week, or assignment, is good practice for all students and might be especially helpful if you are feeling overwhelmed. You can find free study planners online.

• Talk to your tutors

  Your tutors should empathise with your situation and help you to find ways to manage your workload. They are there to help you, so don't be afraid to talk to them about your situation.

• Be kind to yourself

  It is always easier said than done, but try not to let yourself become stressed if you are not meeting your goals.

If your feelings are distracting you from your studies, relaxation techniques, such as going for a walk, listening to music or grief meditation and mindfulness can help you focus.

Coping with loss

Even if you are managing your workload, you might find that your grief is making it difficult to control other aspects of daily life. As well as extreme sadness, you might feel anger, stress, disorientation and other symptoms of depression. You might experience difficulties sleeping, poor appetite or overeating.

These feelings are normal and you should not feel ashamed about them, but they can make you feel even worse. Talk to your friends and tutors who can help you find the resources available to support you at your university or college as soon as possible.