These suboptimal choices tend to be compounded by the financial restraints felt by students upon entry, imposed by rising tuition fees and limited disposable income. For example, students who had a poor diet were found to be more likely to order takeaway food, smoke and engage in less physical activity ( Sprake et al., 2018).
Previous research has illustrated how behavioral choices tend to cluster together in a student population, whether that be maladaptive or optimal behavior ( El Ansari et al., 2018). The student solely decides all elements of their life such as diet, exercise, alcohol consumption and drug use. For many new students, complete control over their behavioral choices becomes the norm for the first time with the potential for either positive or negative change ( Mulye et al., 2009). This transition denotes a monumental shift in independence. Beyond the obvious change in academic challenge where students are expected to become more autonomous in their studies, individuals may also relocate to another geographical location within the United Kingdom and, sometimes, internationally. Multiple facets converge during this life event that impact almost all elements of an individuals’ life. Transitioning into the university environment represents a significant venture in an individuals’ life with feelings such as excitement and, conversely, trepidation. Given the unprecedented world that students now learn in, considering the impact of the pandemic on psychosocial outcomes delineates the novel challenges that researchers and practitioners must consider when implementing student wellbeing initiatives moving forward. The current paper performs a conceptual analysis on student wellbeing in United Kingdom universities with a specific lens on the psychosocial impact of the global COVID-19 outbreak. For the purpose of this paper, the concept of student wellbeing, a population-level term concerned with positive emotions rather than diagnosed mental health conditions, will be considered in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak. The uncertainty caused by the pandemic has yet to be considered in terms of student wellbeing and the new, mostly online, environments that students will be expected to navigate without their typical support networks. Ambiguity remains as to how teaching will be delivered for the forthcoming academic year. The repercussions of these decisions have been monumental for the delivery of teaching, relationships and, importantly, the provision of student services. In the United Kingdom, universities have moved to close their campuses to both students and non-essential staff in an effort to protect them from contracting the virus. Higher education students now have to contend with a drastically altered learning landscape, owing to the discovery of novel coronavirus, Sars-Cov-2, otherwise referred to as COVID-19. Over recent years, uptake to wellbeing services within universities in the United Kingdom has grown given the concurrent rise in mental health difficulties reported. The pressure to perform well academically in an increasingly competitive environment, coupled with a vast array of lifestyle changes, can contribute to suboptimal wellbeing.
Transitioning into the university environment can be both exciting and stressful for new and returning students alike. 2Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom.1Department of Health Professions, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom.Danielle Burns 1*, Neil Dagnall 2 and Maxine Holt 1