This week the university held ‘Nightline Awareness Week’ in an effort to advertise the role of Nightline, a non-university affiliated charity organisation, on campus and promote wellbeing at this challenging point in the semester. With Independent Learning Week a distant memory but the Christmas break still a month away, the final weeks of class can prove draining and overwhelming. Nightline’s message – to remember to take care of yourself and listen to your needs in this final section of the semester – applies to all of us and it is something to consider going forward into exam season.
Nightline offered a series of events throughout the week, each based upon a different theme. On Monday, they provided an introduction to the service and invited students to help them create their much loved ‘exam-packs’; 1000 bags filled with tea, treats, vouchers, stationary and all the essentials needed during the exam period. Tuesday centred around the theme ‘connect’ and involved a collaboration with dog walking society as Nightline hosted a dog-cuddling meet up for students to unwind and connect with some furry friends! Wednesday heightened the intensity of the week with a self-defence class and help at the Union cloakroom as people worked up a sweat with the ‘active’ section of the week. After the energy of Wednesday, Thursday provided a much needed rest with an organised Night Hike through the Scottish countryside as part of Nightline’s ‘take notice’ initiative. The weekend involves some joyous activities such as learning a large group dance routine (to be performed to an enthusiastic 601 audience at last week’s Friday Night Bop!) and a charity bake sale in collaboration with StCandrews. The week rounded off with the theme of ‘showcase’ as students joined the society for a Ceilidh and the unveiling of a collaborative art piece with StArtdrews representing the number of students the charity has listened to and helped.
The activities offered during Nightline Awareness Week truly reflected the charity’s desire to be there for students as a subtle, dependable and anonymous wellbeing resource. The charity is open every night from 8pm until 7am to listen to students and provide information rather than advice (differing from counselling services). Nightline’s key principles are confidentiality and anonymity, something taken very seriously by those involved, keeping both the caller and listener identities anonymous and with none of the public figures of the organisation involved in such calls. Calls are handled in a non-direct, non-judgmental and empathetic manner, letting the caller lead the conversation and share something they feel they would like to without the pressure of making a decision, taking action or being directed in what to do next. For those who feel unable to call, the organisation offers messaging and email services too, maintaining confidentiality and anonymity on all platforms, catering to whichever communication methods feel most comfortable to students.
Nightline is not just a resource for those in crisis. The organisation is simply there to listen to students, be it to let off steam about friendship troubles, complain about workload or to have someone to share good news with, Nightline is whatever the caller needs it to be in the particular moment. Nightline’s activities during the week both promoted the services they offer and served as an excellent reminder for students to put themselves first and take care of themselves over the coming weeks in whatever form suits them; whether that’s by connecting with others or themselves, getting active, taking notice of what’s around them, learning something new, giving to others or finding a way to voice their feelings.
Nightline Contact details:
Phone: 01334 46 2266
Email: nightline@st-andrews.ac.uk