Testimonial #15

In the summer of 2008, I started what would turn ou tto be a year-long bout of severe depression. When I came back to Uni I felt totally lost. I missed countless lectures, fell behind with my work, and stopped communicating with the University.
Luckily, I had several meetings with my student advisor. She suggested that I go to Student Services, who assigned me a mentor to help with organising my time. This enabled me to complete work I would not have otherwise been able to do.
My student Advisor was supportive, approachable and very, very helpful. She spoke to me honestly, and knew about my degree subject therefore the work I was missing.
Throughout the first term, I saw her probably 3 or 4 times. After Christmas, I decided that the best thing for me to do was to take the rest of the year off to try and get better. I was scared, and didn't know how to do anything. My student Advisor made sure that I was making the right decision, and helped with the paperwork, evidence file and supported me through the difficulties. She recommended that I went to the Student Advice centre, where I was helped with the financial side fo things, eventually organising for my loan to continue to come throughout the rest of the year while I recovered.

Fortunately, by the time term started I felt much better. I really needed that time out to sort things out in my head, although the decision to defer was not easy. Without my Student Advisor, I honestly think I would have sank into the background in my first term, and failed. Now I'm cracking on with it, thanks in the large part to her.

Without the Student Advisor service, students in a similar situation to me may feel that they have nowhere to turn. Academic advisors are great for some things, but not when the things affecting you are very personal. I am angered to think that future students at Sussex may have no option than to drop out of uni, without the support of the Student Advisor team.

Thank you :) you really helped me out.