Free food, wellbeing support and self-care tips to help you through exam season.
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Your Student Life Newsletter
Graphic featuring Newcastle University’s lion mascot, Percy, giving a thumbs-up beside the text “Self-care this assessment season”, set against a collage-style background of student life and wellbeing images

Hi ,

 

Welcome back and Happy New Year! 

As we move through the exam season, looking after your wellbeing is just as important as keeping on top of your studies! 

 

So if you're revising, planning ahead, or looking for ways to look after yourself, you'll find lots of practical resources and useful self-care tips in this edition.

 

Best of luck with the rest of your assessments - and remember, we're here to support you every step of the way! 

 

All the best, 

Yvonne

 

In this edition: 

🍝 Pick-up Pasta 

📚 Your wellbeing this assessment period

📲 Download Spectrum Life - your 24/7 Wellbeing app 

🍳 Cosy winter recipes to try during exams

🔮 Our Student Content Creators' 2026 Vision boards

📹 Wellbeing support at Newcastle University

👂 You said, we listened, we acted

📰 Other news

🍝 Pick-up Pasta

 

Pick up free packets of pasta, noodles or soup whilst you study! Just bring along your own mug and cutlery.  

 

Available throughout the assessment period at: 

  • Philip Robinson Library 
  • Marjorie Robinson Library 
  • Walton Library 
  • Students’ Union 
  • Business School, Level 5 

This scheme, in partnership with the Students' Union, is kindly funded by alumni and supporter donations.  

 

Visit our Cost of Living Hub for more initiatives and support for managing your money. 

 

Cost of Living Hub

Promotional banner showing two people smiling, with text reading “Win a MacBook” and “10 up for grabs”, a red “It starts here” button, and Santander branding with competition terms along the bottom.

📚 Your wellbeing this assessment period

Woman stood in front of brick wall with book covering her face

January assessments can feel intense but your wellbeing matters!  

 

This NCLWellbeing Update [accessible version] shares quick tips and resources to help you stay calm, focused and energised during exam season.

 

From stress-busting strategies to healthy habits, we’ve got you covered.  

Read update

📲 Download Spectrum Life - your 24/7 wellbeing app 

 

Explore our new wellbeing app – Spectrum Life.  

 

With plenty of support options to choose from, register now to access hours of wellbeing content and improve your mental health, fitness and nutrition. Access our Student Support Service, redeem wellbeing discounts and much more! 

 

All you need to do is:  

  1. Go to:newcastleuniversitystudents.spectrum.life/login
  2. Click: New here? Sign up!
  3. Use our university’s unique code: NUNI
  4. Create a password and click: Sign Up
  5. Download the Spectrum.Life app

  

Spectrum offers mental health support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Their team of mental health professionals can provide immediate help and support in managing any issues you are facing, as well as referral for further support where appropriate.

 

You can access their mental health team via telephone, live chat, SMS and WhatsApp channels. 

Get started

🍳 Cosy winter recipes to try during exams

 

Long days, late nights and revision brain mean cooking often slips down the priority list...

 

Our Student Content Creator, Erin, has shared some of her top budget-friendly meals that are comforting, filling and low-effort — perfect for getting through assessment season without living off snacks! 

 

These tried and tested recipes are designed to be cheap, cosy and flexible, so you don’t need a big food shop or lots of energy, just something warm and satisfying to keep you going!

Get cooking

🔮 Our Student Content Creators' 2026 Vision boards

Collage-style vision board made up of many small images and text tiles, including landscapes, city scenes, flowers, food, affirmations, and words such as “Everything is romantic”, “Work on you, for you”, “2026 is my year”, and “Less screen time”, creating an aspirational, motivational mood.

As we move through the assessment season and look ahead to the rest of the year, our Student Content Creators have been reflecting on what they want from 2026 with their own personal vision boards. 

 

If you're feeling overwhelmed with exams, this is a gentle reminder that progress doesn't have to be perfect, and taking care of yourself is part of success, not a distraction from it.

 

Why not have a go at your own vision board?

Check them out

Banner promoting Top January Events, featuring Newcastle city skyline at dusk with a church tower, and text highlighting exhibitions, city tours, a Greggs quiz and ways to get active in January.

wellbeing support thumbnail

Our wellbeing support services are offered free of charge as an inclusive, safe space for all students. We can support both your physical and mental health, with drop-in sessions, appointments, workshops, chaplaincy and pastoral case and specialist support. 

    Find out more

    you said we listened - percy with doing a thumbs up with a repeating pattern of megaphones in the background

    👂 You said, we listened, we acted

     

    We’ve made changes to improve assessment and feedback across the University, based on what you told us. 

    💬 You said: "We would like to have more information about assessments including how they will be marked, and when and how you can expect to receive feedback"   

     

    👂 We listened: To improve clarity, consistency, and accessibility we have created the Assessment, Feedback and Marking policy. The policy ensures that all assessments have the following elements:  

    • All assessments need to be accompanied by an assessment brief, with explicit requirements for what information this must include.  

    • Clear feedback expectations must be set out by all module leaders at the start of every module in a synchronous session and on the Virtual Learning Environment (for example Canvas) to set out all the ways you will receive feedback. This must cover what feedback to anticipate across the module, for each assessment, and from which sources (educator, self or peer) to enable you to identify and then act upon this feedback. 

    Image of Percy the lion reading a newspaper with text that reads Other news

    🍎 Fruity Freebie: Enjoy FREE fruit with any purchase when you pay using the UPAY app, available to students at Robinson Library and Walton Library cafés until 16 January 2026. Access exclusive rewards and discounts across 12 campus cafés.

    📚
     Study well this assessment period with the Library: Take a look at what we can do to help make the Library a great place to study. 

     

    🗣️ Ready to turn setbacks into success? Hear inspiring founder stories of turning challenges into opportunities and discover practical frameworks to keep moving forward at the START UP Community Social on 28 January, 17:00. 

     

    🥾 Want to explore the Scottish Highlands? Check out the Students' Union's Give It A Go programme for exciting trips with partner Lundgren Tours throughout Semester Two, including over Spring Break! 

     

    🎓 Become a mentor with IntoUniversity: Help young people aged 10–17 build confidence, develop skills and plan for their future.

     

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