A Tribute to Nelson Mandela from RUSU's BAME Officer

“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” — Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela lived a life that honoured his words. Mandela was the first elected president of South Africa and is well known today for his peaceful objections to apartheid. Many of us may not be familiar with the term 'apartheid';it was a system in South Africa that segregated races.

“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” - Nelson Mandela.

Mandela was arrested and imprisoned for standing up for what he believed in, when eventually let free, he forgave his oppressors. Despite South Africa, being close to civil war, the words and actions of Mandela kept all at peace. Mandela has been an inspiration and will continue to be an inspiration for all people. He will continue to be a prominent figure in history. He has devoted so much of his life fighting for justice, encouraging democracy, working towards an end to poverty and aiming for peaceful resolutions.

Nelson Mandela's life cannot be summarised, for neither was it brief nor mediocre. To a great man, we thank you for the effort you never ceased to put into your nation and the effect it had on other nations. The lessons of democracy you gave will not only be built on by South Africa but will also remain part of the foundation of democracy that RUSU keeps.

Cindy Ikie
BAME Part-time Officer

Coming out as Disabled - Experience of a student with a mental illness

Today is International Day of Disabled People and to mark this, NUS have launched “Coming Out as Disabled” a campaign in which they encourage people to write articles about their disabilities and experiences. RUSU has collected several blogs from Reading students who wanted to share their stories. We hope that starting these conversations on our campus will encourage all students to talk more openly about disability and most importantly remind disabled students that they are not alone.

Thank you so much to the students who wrote to us and supported this cause, we hope you found it to be a positive experience.

Sophie Davies, RUSU Welfare Officer and Ellie Brady, RUSU Disabled Students Part-time Officer.

Disclosing that you are a disabled student to others is often a very difficult process. Even more so if you suffer from mental health issues, as people aren’t nearly as accepting of problems that they can’t physically see. Mental health is something of a social taboo, as many people refuse to talk about it. There is a preconceived notion that mental disorders are very uncommon and this myth helps fuel the biased interpretations many people have towards mental health. Statistics suggest that 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year, whereas cancer affects 1 in 3 people in their lifetime; both have a large impact upon the clinical population, and yet only one is widely recognised and reported in a non-biased manner.

Admitting to someone that you suffer from a mental health condition is no easy feat, it often leads to an enormous amount of anxiety due to all the negative connotations that such problems have been labelled with. For instance, behaviours associated with mental disorders, such as suicide and self-injury are often seen as either selfish or attention seeking. As a result, an individual who experiences such things may feel like they are deviating from some sort of societal norm, and therefore may feel the need to hide their problems. Admitting this perceived weakness should not be met with ignorance and hostility, but instead with empathy and support.

Personally, I only told one of my friends from my course, as I felt she would be more understanding about my situation than my flatmates and she reacted admirably. But unfortunately this is not always the case. Those who would not react so kindly to such a confession are often easily identified, and therefore prevent people from being comfortable with sharing such information with them.

Regardless, positive awareness of mental health is essential in order to promote a better understanding of such issues. Many people suffer from mental health difficulties but are too afraid to seek help due to a fear of these negative judgements. Therefore it is important to spread awareness of mental illness in an attempt to help these individuals realise that it is perfectly okay to struggle and for them to know where and feel able to ask for support should they need it.

Coming out as Disabled - Experience of a student with bipolar

Today is International Day of Disabled People and to mark this, NUS have launched “Coming Out as Disabled” a campaign in which they encourage people to write articles about their disabilities and experiences. RUSU has collected several blogs from Reading students who wanted to share their stories. We hope that starting these conversations on our campus will encourage all students to talk more openly about disability and most importantly remind disabled students that they are not alone.

Thank you so much to the students who wrote to us and supported this cause, we hope you found it to be a positive experience.

Sophie Davies, RUSU Welfare Officer and Ellie Brady, RUSU Disabled Students Part-time Officer.

I “came out” as being bipolar to everyone who saw me on World Mental Health Awareness Day by wearing a yellow jumper I had written the word “bipolar” on! Before that I had told two of my flatmates in the first week (so they would know why I was so moody), and both were stunningly supportive & accepting. I was expecting at least an odd look or two when I wore the “bipolar” jumper, but I received no mean looks and no negative comments! People continue to astound me with how accepting they can be. Of course, I was lucky - often mental health issues aren’t so pleasantly accepted, which needs to change!

The comments I did get made wearing the jumper worth it  - one person told me he was bipolar too, and one person said my jumper reminded them that it was Mental Health day. Wearing the jumper meant people felt they could talk to me about their mental health issues too, which was lovely! It was nice to hear people talk about it openly without any kind of fear (of a bad reaction) or shame.

I’m an art student, and having everyone already know about my “disability” means I don’t have to explain why most of my work is about mental health issues (and feminism, and unapologetic cuteness, and blah blah blah)! Also, I’m the president of the Mental Health Society at Reading, so I think it’s important for me to be open about my rapid-cycling bipolar, to let people know that they can be open about their mental health disabilities too. Please, please don’t be embarrassed or afraid of telling people! They’re mostly lovely, and the ones who aren’t are ridiculously unaware idiots.

Coming out as Disabled - Experience of a student diagnosed with essential thrombocythaemia

Today is International Day of Disabled People and to mark this, NUS have launched “Coming Out as Disabled” a campaign in which they encourage people to write articles about their disabilities and experiences. RUSU has collected several blogs from Reading students who wanted to share their stories. We hope that starting these conversations on our campus will encourage all students to talk more openly about disability and most importantly remind disabled students that they are not alone.

Thank you so much to the students who wrote to us and supported this cause, we hope you found it to be a positive experience.

Sophie Davies, RUSU Welfare Officer and Ellie Brady, RUSU Disabled Students Part-time Officer.

I was diagnosed with a rare bone marrow cancer, “Essential Thrombocythaemia”, one week before my first term of university. With my new diagnosis and being thrown into a completely new environment simultaneously, university had the potential to be very scary!

I was terrified of explaining my diagnosis to my new flatmates; worried that I’d be known as “the sick girl” and nothing more, with cancer becoming my identity. I tried to hide my symptoms as much as possible and didn’t begin treatment until December that year so side effects were thankfully minimal. 

Then one day the cat got out of the bag… My cancer causes blood clots which can cause temporary blindness if a clot is passing behind my eye. I was getting ready for another night out in town with my flatmates when BAM, I went blind in my left eye, I then was faced with the very daunting task of explaining my “situation” to my new friends.I couldn't bring myself to explain my condition all at once, so merely said I had a blood condition which sometimes, on the odd occasion, caused blindness. They respected my wish; that I didn’t want to talk about it, and we stayed in that night instead, chatting to the early hours of the morning.

In December when I was told by my consultant I would have to start daily chemotherapy pills that would make me very sick, I realised I had to talk to my flat properly. My parents dropped me back at halls from the hospital and I said goodbye with tears in my eyes as I dreaded what my flat would think of me; a disease ridden girl, a burden. That night I called a flat meeting, all 10 of us squeezed into my bedroom, all sat silently listening to my “story”. I told them in much greater detail than I had anyone before about my diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. I remember the looks on their faces and I am proud to say none of them were of pity. When I finished most were a little teary but not with sadness, they were proud of me and happy I felt comfortable enough with them to talk to them about it. My flat then did something absolutely incredible; they made jokes! They made me laugh! They treated me no differently and carried on as if normal whilst assuring me they would all be there if or when I needed them.

I am very blessed with the group of friends I made at university. Now I don’t shy away from explaining I have a life-long cancer, but wear it as a badge of honour. My friends at university have been the best support network I could have asked for; supporting me when I need them but always keeping me smiling, happy and optimistic. 

Coming out as Disabled - Experience of a disabled student

Today is International Day of Disabled People and to mark this, NUS have launched “Coming Out as Disabled” a campaign in which they encourage people to write articles about their disabilities and experiences. RUSU has collected several blogs from Reading students who wanted to share their stories. We hope that starting these conversations on our campus will encourage all students to talk more openly about disability and most importantly remind disabled students that they are not alone.

Thank you so much to the students who wrote to us and supported this cause, we hope you found it to be a positive experience.

Sophie Davies, RUSU Welfare Officer and Ellie Brady, RUSU Disabled Students Part-time Officer.

I started university in 2011. After what was initially a rocky start of finding my feet and my position within a seemingly clique-less ‘society’ I arrived for second year full of promise. Having decided to live in halls for the duration of my time at university, I was already going against the grain. So far this hasn’t been an issue for many people – and was soon shot of the people who thought it was!

What I think I’ve found most difficult in general about getting older is keeping up with my peers. I lack the energy most people my age have heaps of. At University I rely a lot on nap time (which is more common than you might think) to get through assignments and nights out. This does mean though, that when I come home, I am usually deliriously tired and want to sleep for the month before the work/social cycle happens again. At university there are three main points of focus. Work, socialising, sleep. You can only ever have two, as illustrated by many a meme.

The best advice I was given when I went to university does initially sound harsh, but I will explain why it is not. My mum told me to be selfish. University is the only time in your life when you only have yourself to consider. You have no parents, siblings, spouse or children relying on you to do your bit. Embrace that. When it’s gone you may never get it back. So if you want to join a society or club or media stream that is deemed uncool, just do it. Get involved with as much as you can. That is what makes Uni more than just your course and personally, it’s where I met my closest friends. 

Coming out as Disabled - Experience of a student after having had a migrainous stroke

Today is International Day of Disabled People and to mark this, NUS have launched “Coming Out as Disabled” a campaign in which they encourage people to write articles about their disabilities and experiences. RUSU has collected several blogs from Reading students who wanted to share their stories. We hope that starting these conversations on our campus will encourage all students to talk more openly about disability and most importantly remind disabled students that they are not alone.

Thank you so much to the students who wrote to us and supported this cause, we hope you found it to be a positive experience.

Sophie Davies, RUSU Welfare Officer and Ellie Brady, RUSU Disabled Students Part-time Officer.

Two weeks after my finals exams in 2012, I had a migrainous stroke (stroke caused by severe migraines) and as a result of the preventative medication I’m now on, I can’t drink alcohol. I was apprehensive about returning to halls at first because I knew that there would be times where I would be left out of events (because lets face it – going to clubs or house parties sober really sucks) and I tend to get tired more quickly.

I did find telling the people I live with a bit cringey – I was incredibly lucky in that the only permanent damage I sustained from my stroke was to my vision and some were a bit confused when I told them. Thankfully, there are a lot of lovely people in my hall who are understanding and who have invited me to things that aren't predominantly about getting drunk.  To be honest – everyone who I have told has been lovely about it and if there are any people that do judge me for my disability then they aren't worth worrying about.

There are various societies that aren't revolved around drinking and plenty of support on campus through the disability service.

Coming out as Disabled - Experience of a student with a brain tumour

Today is International Day of Disabled People and to mark this, NUS have launched “Coming Out as Disabled” a campaign in which they encourage people to write articles about their disabilities and experiences. RUSU has collected several blogs from Reading students who wanted to share their stories. We hope that starting these conversations on our campus will encourage all students to talk more openly about disability and most importantly remind disabled students that they are not alone.

Thank you so much to the students who wrote to us and supported this cause, we hope you found it to be a positive experience.

Sophie Davies, RUSU Welfare Officer and Ellie Brady, RUSU Disabled Students Part-time Officer

More than often, the reaction I get when I tell people that I suffer with a brain tumour, is of great surprise. I used to take great pride in not letting my disability show, and for a long time the biggest complement I got was people saying that they would never have guessed something was wrong. That made me feel great, it hadn't slowed me down.

Unfortunately over the summer I started showing some symptoms of things changing with regards to the tumour, this made the physical signs of the tumour much more obvious, and so more people ask about it, I was persuaded by my lecturer, who had noticed, to seek Disabled Students Allowance. This required a lot of thought originally, as it meant acknowledging I had a disability. I have to say the support I have gotten from both the DSA and my department at university has been great, if anything it has made me realise it’s okay to show the symptoms, but I still try to not let it slow me down, but I accept it a bit more now.

If anything I wish I had sought help and advice in my first two years at university.