 So this year we've had a shakeup in the way that things are going to happen.
Exams are cancelled, you're getting assigned your grades from your predicted grades (it seems at the minute) and the government and all schools, colleges and universities are working out the best way to do this fairly. It's all a bit up in the air at the minute while the world has gone a bit bonkers. And what does no exams mean? Well it certainly doesn't mean you have nothing to do right now. School is still in session, so make sure you're keeping on top of the work you do have!
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 We can't imagine what you're going through right now, with news of your exams being called off this summer, but we can try and understand. Our presenter team have all been through the stresses of school, sixth form and college and have tried to place ourselves in this situation, and think of the questions we'd most want answered
 Worried about all the fake news and conflicting information when it comes to Covid-19? (Yes, we always sing it to the tune of Come On Eileen, too.) Us lot at Push are no doctors or virology experts, but we can remind you of a few fundamental things…
Now the boring obligatory bit’s done with, what about the rest? Are school closures likely? What do they mean?  Thankfully, we’re hearing more and more about mental health in our day to day lives. Whether that’s celebrities speaking up about their experiences or friends sharing their battles, charities fighting for funding or campaigns raising awareness, mental health is finally starting to get the airtime it deserves.
And we’re proud to be champions of mental health awareness and wellbeing – head to our Blog for content from mindfulness to social media detox to cyberbullying. But we know the world’s not perfect yet. Far from it. There are still lots of us who don’t feel able to speak up and get help when we’re struggling. And though statistically more women suffer with mental health problems than men, men are far less likely to seek out help until they reach crisis point.  It’s a nasty thing to think about, and is often the unspoken elephant in the room, but when a fifth of all young people are victim to it, how come bullying is still such a taboo subject?
A study conducted by charity, Ditch the Label, found that 1/5 young people have been subjected to physical, verbal and cyber bullying. And the worst part is that the figures are almost identical to what was found last year – change just isn’t coming fast enough.  Here at Push we’re always banging on about how great part-time work can be. And not just for the extra cash, but that’s a bonus all in itself. Bring on that wonga.
And there’s loads of other benefits, too. Moving to a new area to study? You’ll meet loads of new people, make some new friends and being around locals is the best place to pick up insider info on all the best shopping and nightlife spots, best restaurants, top rated take aways, places to hit up and places to avoid. Pretty handy.  Sport of some kind is almost always in the news, but it’s been a media frenzy this month. We’re talking Rugby World Cup, World Athletics Championships, World Gymnastics Championships, with names like Dina Asher Smith, Simone Biles and Katarina Johnson-Thompson sweeping the headlines.
So it’s no surprise that sport initiatives in schools are getting some serious attention. Sport England have announced that children should be taught ‘physical literacy’ in the same way they’re taught to read and write to promote higher activity levels and increased fitness throughout life. And if that works, young people’s engagement with exercise and sport shouldn’t end the second they’re no longer forced into PE lessons. It should become a part of life.  Most people have some assumptions when it comes to uni, whether they have friends or family who have been before or not. And a lot of those will inevitably revolve around drinking.
Bargain basement uni bars, student clubbing nights with shots for £1, boozy society initiations, house/halls parties galore. It might seem like that’s all there is to the whole degree-earning business. Turns out, a whopping 79% of students are under the impression that ‘getting drunk is part of university culture’. Seems pretty inescapable. And although that’s not really true, and it’s perfectly doable to get through your uni years teetotal if that’s what floats your boat, the tide really does seem to be changing on the booze culture.  Here at Push, we can’t celebrate our differences enough. It’s what makes us all so interesting, able to see the world in new, abstract ways to solve all sorts of problems, and to come together as strong, diverse teams.
A world full of identical people with identical thoughts is, well, not worth thinking about. Want us to put our money where our mouth is? Head to our YouTube channel for a quick-fire rundown from Ben, one of our presenters—he talks about making the most of your individuality and quirks, and discusses how he turned his dyslexia into an award-winning strength. But we get it. Sometimes, the world isn’t always geared up to help and support differences.  You’ve got the next six weeks of freedom ahead of you – use it wisely! Whether you’re thinking of going away to uni, taking an apprenticeship or just getting your own place sometime soon, learning to cook is an incredible life skill.
Trust us, the instant noodles get old real quick. (And we’re not talking expiry dates. Monosodium Glutamate will outlast us all.) So now that you’ve got the time, why not learn something new? This summer is a great opportunity to help out in the kitchen, learn some recipes and techniques, and test drive a few dishes.  Here at Push, we’re real advocates for mental health awareness and support. Just check out our website for bundles of content on everything from looking after yourself at uni to understanding the science behind mental wellness, and the benefits of taking the reins and knowing what you want from life.
We’re even here to help when it comes to what you should look for at uni, college, or work in terms of inclusive environments and mental health support. Might sound like we’re banging on a bit, but this stuff really does matter.  It’s come out from an OECD report into cyber related bullying that out of all the highly developed countries investigated, England has the highest rate of cyber bullying and social media misuse in its schools. Which is a pretty nasty stat.
The study looked at ‘the experiences of more than 250,000 teachers in 48 industrialised countries and regions’ and found a serious problem with the UK.  A paid contribution by our friends over at Future Fit Training the leading training provider of Personal Trainers, Nutrition Advisers and Pilates Instructors in the UK. We think this is a useful and interesting article for all our readers and are happy to publish.
The numbers tell the story:
And with the demand for personal trainers and weight loss consultants outweighing the supply, there are plenty of opportunities out there for those looking to become a personal trainer.  You might have heard in the last year or two sportswear giants like Nike were making controversial waves by releasing the first forward-thinking, breathable sports hijabs for female Muslim athletes.
The special hijabs, though innovative and a positive step forward in terms of inclusivity in sport, came with a fairly steep price tag. That’s why Brunel University have been praised for the new addition to their university sports kit - the ‘Brunel Blue’ sports hijab, in two sizes. And at £15 a pop, they’re almost 40% cheaper than the kit sold by Nike.  Contributed by our friends over at HFE the UK's leading provider of personal training courses and fitness qualifications...
In 2018, it was reported that the UK's health and fitness industry was worth an approximate £5bn and the number of gyms reached over 7,000 for the first time. It's also estimated that 1 in 7 people in the UK is a member of a gym. All these figures point to one simple fact: the best time to get into the fitness industry is right now! Of all of the possible roles for young people available in the fitness industry, there's one that stands head and shoulders above all others in terms of appeal and mainstream popularity and that's of a personal trainer. There's no doubt you'll have a picture in your head of a personal trainer and you've probably seen a fair few when you've ever been to a gym. Now the common stereotype is that PTs just stand around and don't do very much. They've probably got a clipboard (or iPad if they're fancy), a stopwatch and they just spend time watching clients exercise. If you’re lucky they might even chime in every few minutes with words of encouragement.  You’re probably looking forward to the festive season. But as you know it can be a stressful time as well as a happy one.
If you’re a student, then returning to the family home after a period of independence is challenging. Plus the most wonderful time of the year is also the most expensive! What’s the best way of avoiding pressure at Christmas, whilst taking the strain off your bank account? Our guide is here to light the way. From wrapping presents to warbling carols, our Santa’s sack is full to the brim with tips. So what are you waiting for? Let’s go-ho-ho…  Winter is more than just Netflix binges and hot chocolates (we're boiling the kettle right now...). As the festive period dawns on us, how we approach it is like being presented with a turkey wish bone - or a Quorn one vegans (although we're actually not sure how that would work): we can pull one way yet and be convinced good vibes are coming our way, only to be surprised by the eventual outcome...
 It might be shocking to know, but 4 out of 5 people between the ages of 18 and 21 know someone who has experienced a mental health problem. A quarter of all people in the same age group are worried about the mental health of someone their age.
And, according to the NUS, among students, it’s an even more critical issue. 63% of university counselling services have reported an increase in psychological distress among students.  So, what does the M-word really mean? You might have heard the term 'mindfulness' thrown around by lifestyle bloggers, Insta yoginis and emblazoned on covers of pocket books in your local bookshop. It's becoming so popular that it's almost the new hygge.
 If you read anything in a tabloid newspaper, you'd think that the young people of today are nothing but delicate little "snowflakes" – offended by everything, right down to the ever-rising price of avocados.
You only have to talk to a real-life young person to know that's not the case. An entire university study has been dedicated to the idea of Generation Snowflake, and you won't be surprised to find that it's an exaggerated, over-generalised load of nonsense. Okay, maybe not the avocado part. C'mon, we've got to have some nice things. Researches from the University of Leeds' Institute for Teaching interviewed 55 undergrads as part of their study into student resilience, and had another 185 complete survey questionnaires. Students were asked what they thought about the snowflake generation - students who were "quick to take offence and too emotionally vulnerable to cope with views that challenge their own", and also the idea of 'trigger-warnings' - where individuals are notified of potentially distressing content before being exposed to it. Surprisingly, large numbers of students hadn't even heard of the term 'snowflake generation' or even 'trigger-warnings', and if they were aware of the concept, it wasn't usually in terms of education and more in terms of internet use. Rather than the negative associations, where 'trigger-warnings' are viewed as a form of censorship, the participating students largely agreed that the warnings allowed them to be prepared for potentially disturbing content, rather than choosing not to engage with it at all. Overall, the participants "were likely to say that they could see some truth in ['snowflake generation'], but that it was an unfair, sweeping label for an eclectic group of people."  There's never a better time to get yourself fighting fit, both mentally and physically, but we know it's often easier said than done.
Now, we don't know it all, but trust us when we say that Rome wasn't built in a day. Small, manageable changes are the best way to have a long-term impact on how you think and feel, so here's Push’s 5 top tips for maintaining good mental health.  Mental health is nothing to be sneered at, and it can be a big weight on the shoulders of the average young person. Push wants to hammer home just how crucial it is to let people in on how you feel.
Isolation from others and from the society around you is the biggest cause of mental illness developing. It has been proven that people who lack a sense of community in their lives (in other words, a support network on your doorstep) are more likely to experience mental illness. Community experiences – however you get involved – give people a sense of self-worth, of belonging to something bigger than themselves  At Push, we tell it like it is. That means we say it's okay to get help if you feel overwhelmed, and your mental and physical health are suffering.
Dr Nihara Kruase, a consultant clinical psychologist highlights government funded research (ONS, UCL, NHS data) that found 1/4 girls and 1/10 boys have emotional problems including loneliness, self-hatred and feeling unloved. If this sounds a little too familiar, don't panic. We're all in this together. |
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