7 Tips For Making Friends In Freshers (updated for COVID-19)

Being a fresher doesn’t have to be scary. In fact, we think it could quite possibly be the best time of your life!

1) First of all remember that everyone is in the same boat. Everyone is new and will be feeling excited with a mix of apprehension and nerves. Some people just hide it better than others. Most people are living away from home for the first time and like you, are trying to find their feet.

2) Before you go to University, there may be opportunities to meet future fellow students and flatmates online. Most universities will have forums for new students where you can discuss courses and accommodation. Be proactive and utilise this, get to know people on social media and possibly meet up beforehand or on arrival and you will have made a head start.

3) Be friendly….you don’t have to be an extrovert or the life and soul of the party but try to be welcoming and approachable with your new flat mates/fellow students. If you’re not a party person, remember not all freshers’ events are based around drinking alcohol and staying out late. Even if you’re painfully shy, a simple smile and introduction goes a long way. Show interest in the people you meet, ask a few questions but keep it light. Remember they are probably feeling the same.

In light of Covid-19 try to be more respectful of people’s personal space. You might feel comfortable with people in your space but it doesn’t mean that everyone feels this way.

4) Try to get to your new accommodation early and unpack asap. It’s going to be a busy week and it will help make life easier if your room is organised and everything is at hand. You will meet people as they arrive and it also leaves you more time to socialise and join in with the week’s events! Check your emails frequently as events and timetables can often change.

5) Resist the urge to hide away in your room, if you are unpacking leave the door open so people can chat if they are passing. If new people arrive, introduce yourself, maybe offer to make them a drink.

There will be online and possibly on campus Welcome Fairs and events. These are a great opportunity to meet new people and socialise with other students in your halls and on your course.

6) Don’t overdo it but do try to join in with as many things as you can, be open to events on offer and join societies you are interested in. In fact, if someone asks you to join a society with them or try an activity that you hadn’t previously considered, give it a go, you may discover a new passion and at the very least meet new friends.

7)  Try to enjoy the experience, you may not meet your lifelong friends in the first week but friendships will be forged. Stress not, you are probably there for at least three years and new friends and different friendship groups will be established over time. Relax and the rest is easy.

To find out more about us visit A2B Assessments

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The College Leavers Guide To The Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)

If you are a student who has additional needs and you are shortly finishing college, you may be wondering what are the next steps to ensure you have support in place for your university course in September?

The interval between applying for funding and receiving the appropriate equipment and support may be up to three months. It is therefore advisable that you apply as early as possible, if necessary, before the confirmation of your course. 

The College Leavers Guide to the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) has been set up with the goal of providing the information you need to ensure support will be in place at the appropriate time.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus Update)

Due to COVID-19 we are currently doing all our DSA assessments remotely either by video or phone call.

This means we can take bookings from anywhere in the UK and you can complete your assessment from the comfort of your own home. (click here to book your assessment)

What is the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)?

The Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is a UK government-funded program providing students financial grants to cover any extra study expenses a student may have due to a disability. Both part-time and full-time students can get access to the DSA including those on postgraduate, distance learning and Open University courses.

Watch the short 2 minute video below for a complete overview of the Disabled Students’ Allowance…

 

Our Guide To All Areas Of The DSA

Click to view…

1. Find your funding body. 
2. The DSA application Process.
3. Booking your DSA study needs assessment.
4. What happens at your DSA study needs assessment.
5. Receiving your DSA Entitlement letter.
6. Arranging delivery of your DSA equipment.

If you still have questions we have an extensive FAQ section towards the bottom of our main DSA page here, you can also email any questions to admin@a2bassessments.com

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Deafblind Awareness Week: DSA Support

This week is Deafblind Awareness Week…

To get involved with Deafblind Awareness Week we wanted to share with you some of the assistive software that can help visually and hearing impaired students, accessible through the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). 

Support for Students with hearing Impairments

The items below are regularly recommended for students with hearing impairments, however, all assessments and recommendations are done on an individual basis, tailored to that student’s specific needs. Not all students with hearing impairments will receive the same support.

Audio amplification devices like Phonak Roger

These transmit clear audio of class, seminar and tutorial content, direct to the user’s hearing aid (via the T switch), or via headphones. The devices are suited to both a single speaker and multiple speakers, making them readily adaptable to any activity. These will help to overcome the barriers to participation the user experiences due to hearing difficulties.

 Automated transcription tool (Caption.Ed): 

Caption.Ed provides the user with a live transcription of YouTube videos (improving on the inaccurate captions offered on the website) and Vimeo videos (which do not offer captioning at all).  Making online research much more accessible.

Specialist Note-taker: Speech-To-Text Reporting (STTR) 

Essentially live transcription used during both in person and online lectures and seminars, ensuring that the student is able to follow the content which can be difficult to hear.

 Support for students with visual Impairments

As above, all the items below are regularly recommended for students with a visual impairment, however, all assessments and recommendations are done on an individual basis for that student’s specific needs. The items below wouldn’t all be recommended for one student, as some of them are different strategies that achieve the same results. 

iPad Pro

The iPad is able to increase the size of text, change the colour of the screen background and text to make it more legible and read text aloud using the built in text to speech software. The iPad also has numerous accessibility shortcuts. E.g. Triple clicking the Home button toggles, VoiceOver screen reader and Zoom magnifier. The Royal National Institute of Blind People have recently stated that the iPad is excellent for accessibility features which makes it easier for blind people to use and navigate and use the touchscreen tablet style computer.

 C-Pen Reader 

This “pen” scans hardcopy text and then reads it back to the user. Excellent for accessing reading material when it is unavailable in an alternate format.

Handheld Video Magnifier 

This can assist in reading any handouts or lecture notes given out in class that aren’t available in an alternative format.

ZoomText Magnifier / Screen Reader 

Allows users to enlarge sections of their screen enabling them to see text easier. The screen reading capabilities of ZoomText allow the text to be played back.  OmniPage Professional can be used alongside Zoomtext to convert Scanned documents, books or any other reading material into an editable digital file. Creating a digital file will allow the screen reading functionality in ZoomText to work.

Large External Monitor 

Helpful if you need to enlarge text several times larger than the standard size.

Dragon Dictation Software

Allows users to accurately dictate their work, improving the speed at which they can input text. Dictation also eliminates any typing difficulties.

Text to speech software 

can be recommended so rather than having to read text on screen the computer will play text out loud. This can be helpful when doing research but is also an excellent way to proofread your own work. You could for example compose your essay with Dragon and then listen back to it with text to speech software for any mistakes.

Specialist Notetaker for Visually Impaired (VI) students 

A specialist notetaker will attend your lectures and seminars and make a complete set of notes for the session.  The notes are digital so they can be enlarged and read by the text to speech software.

 A Sighted Guide 

Available to help you navigate around University or any external field trips.

 A Taxi Allowance 

This can be recommended if you have difficulty accessing public transport.

Get involved or learn more about Deafblind Awareness Week.

For for some free assistive software that can help with visual impairments check out our blog posts on Be My Eyes and Microsoft Seeing AI

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Video Blog #14 – 7 Revision Tips To Boost Your Exam Performance

In this video blog we cover 7 Revision Tips To Boost Your Exam Performance.

 

enjoy,

A2B Assessments

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What is Autism?

Autism Spectrum Disorder is an umbrella term used to describe a group developmental disabilities resulting from differences in the brain.  The condition affects how a person thinks, feels and interacts with the world.  Neurodiverse is another way to describe people with autism. This is opposed to neurotypical, which is often used in the autistic community to describe people not on the spectrum. While it is important to realise that no two autistic people are the same, there are some attributes of autism that are common among many autistic people.

What are some of the characteristics of autism?

Fascination with certain things

Some people with ASD can have an intense fascination with certain things they are interested in. This could be anything from abstract things such as stories or music to concrete objects such as books, cups and plates. The object of fascination varies between different autistic people. But it can lead to them knowing everything there is to know about the subject. These fascinations could last from weeks to months, or throughout their entire lives.

Discomfort with social interaction

Autistic individuals may have difficulties in sharing their emotions or interests socially. Children may have subtle problems such as looking down or not making eye contact during conversations. Adults may not indulge in communication that is based away from their interests. Some autistic individuals may also show contradictory facial expressions during conversations.

Difficulty with rules

Some autistic children or adults may struggle with following rules and guidelines. Experts believe this can be caused by the intense focus or passion that is common among people with autism. Autistic people can find comfort in following a routine and experiencing a sudden change of routine, or schedule, can cause anxiety and mood swings. In some cases, those without autism or awareness can misinterpret this attribute and liken it to stubbornness.

Sensory problems

Some people with ASD may have difficulties with sensory overload. For example, children may close their eyes when faced with certain colours or noise. Others may tap their legs repetitively as a way of calming themselves. The underlying principle is that some autistic people can be hypersensitive. Most of the time, they suffer an overload of sensation, which may force them to seek external outputs as a means of self-regulation. For example, some people with ASD may find it easier to wear headphones while trying to study to block out other distractions.

How to communicate effectively with autistic people

Address the person just as you would anyone else

People with autism are intelligent individuals, address them like you would any other adult or however they would prefer to be addressed.

Say what you mean

It is advisable to keep your statements less vague, more transparent and literal. That way, you limit the chances of miscommunication.

Listen carefully

Taking time to listen carefully to what the person is saying, this can help show that you do care and are supportive of them.

Maintain calmness

It’s bad practice to exhibit anxiety and worries while addressing an autistic person. Try to demonstrate calmness as it gives room for more conversation.

Language to use when talking about someone with Autism

This is a heavily debated topic in the ASD community.  With some disabilities such as physical disabilities it is generally best practice to use person first language.  For example you would say “person in a wheelchair” rather than a “wheelchair person”.  This is because rather than defining people primarily by their disability, people-first language emphasises the individuality, equality and dignity of people with disabilities.  However many people with Autism don’t see autism as a “disability” and rightly so. Therefore it can actually be empowering to use the phrase autistic person rather than person with autism.  If dealing with someone personally it is always best to respect their own preference. Further reading on this.

Autistic people throughout history

Because it is hard to diagnose anyone retrospectively, all the people listed below may not have been on the Autistic Spectrum.  However,  Prof Michael Fitzgerald of Dublin’s Trinity College , who is an acclaimed Psychologist specialising in ASD believes that the following people all had strong autistic traits.

Charles Darwin

With Darwin’s intense focus, which led to the discovery of evolution. Darwin achieved a nobel prize for his groundbreaking discovery, which changed the face of scientific evolution.

Vincent Van Gogh

Among the world’s greatest painters. Vincent made incredible paints which leave us speechless to this day.

Albert Einstein

His common attributes included intense focus, obsession with light beams, inflexibility with authority and rules, being anti-social. Despite all these, Einstein is remembered for his uncanny ability to solve puzzles and incredible humour.

Useful Links

National Autistic Society

Autism Society

The NHS page for autism

thanks for reading, A2B Assessments

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Video Blog #13 – 5 Productivity Tips For Students

In this video blog we have 5 productivity tips for students…

In the video we mention being able to block out distracting apps. Follow these links to see some of the tools we recommend for doing this…

Google chrome extensions to increase productivity

Freedom Distraction Blocker

Forest: Liberate yourself from your smartphone

Thanks,

A2B Assessments

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People with learning disabilities prioritised for COVID Vaccine

Some good news for those with learning disabilities. The government has announced that everyone on the learning disability register will now be prioritised for a COVID-19 vaccination.

There were around 150,000 people who were not eligible for the vaccine, but who are at higher risk due to their disabilities.  These people will now be prioritised as part of group six, regardless of how severe their disability is.

The update comes after an analysis of date that shows those with a learning disability tend to suffer more severe symptoms of COVID-19.

It is advised that those with a learning disability should ensure they are on the learning disability register by ringing their GP.

The data shows that only 1 in 4 people with a learning disability are actually on their GP’s learning disability register. With 1.2 million people in the UK with a learning disability, this means that there are 900,000 people who aren’t registered. To help with this fallout, the NHS has also asked local authorities to identify any other adults severely affected by a learning disability.

Read the full Gov.uk Announcement.

Learn more about the DSA

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Wim Hof Method To Improve Mental Health

Who Is Wim Hof and how can you use the Wim Hof Method to improve mental health?

Wim Hof is an extreme athlete who holds 26 official Guinness World Records, most of which are beyond comprehension to most. These include climbing 22,000 ft up Mount Everest in only shorts and shoes, remaining submerged in an ice bath for over 2 hours and running a marathon without training, in the Namibian desert; where temperatures reached 40°C; without touching a drop of water for the whole run.

Born on the 20th of April 1959, the Dutchman is also known for his remarkable ability to withstand the cold, thereby earning him the title The Iceman. 

But where does he draw his energy, resilience and inspiration to complete feats that most of us would hardly even try? He attributes it to the Wim Hof Method.

Wim Hof came up with this method after his wife committed suicide in 1995. Falling into a deep depression he found that the only thing that helped him clear his mind of negative thoughts was submerging himself in the cold.

You might be wondering why are we talking about this on the A2B blog?

Well According to The Iceman, this method can help those suffering from problems with sleep, stress, sports performance, depression and auto-immune diseases. From practicing parts of the method myself I can confidently state that a cold shower is definitely a mood booster!

What Is The Wim-Hof Method All About?

The Wim-Hof method is essentially a regimen that entails frequent exposure of the body to cold, coupled with meditation and specialised breathing techniques. 

This video explains it better that I can…

 

But just how does it work to improve your mental health? 

Firstly the breathing part of the method is similar to meditation. Once you are focused on your breathing you will find yourself in the present moment and less stressed about things outside of your control.

The next part of the method is getting in cold water. This increases mental resilience, thereby enabling you to withstand rather unpleasant situations longer than the average person would. Additionally, with cold therapy, your focus, willpower and concentration are also greatly increased. When you come out of a cold shower you can’t help but feel extremely positive and elevated which is due to the endorphins released by your body. 

Cold showers also improve your physical health, improving your cardiovascular system and increasing your muscle endurance.

Is The Method Backed By Any Scientific Evidence?

The Wim Hof method has lots of heavy research and scientific backing behind it. 

For full details of the studies visit – https://www.wimhofmethod.com/science

How To Do The Wim-Hof Method Breathing

1. Sit in a comfortable place and take thirty quick and deep breaths, taking a deep breath in and then just letting go rather than a hard breath out.
2. Next, take a very deep breath before exhaling fully everything that is in your lungs.
3. Once exhaled don’t breath in and hold your breath for as long as possible. Don’t push it too hard though, as soon as you need to breathe do so.
4. When you need to breathe take a deep inhalation and hold for about 15-20 seconds.
5. Repeat the process 3-4 times
6. Enjoy the feeling of calm and clarity.

Or for the easiest way to experience the method follow along with the guided breathing below…

 

Thanks for reading and watching

A2B Assessments.

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Microsoft Office Lens: Free Scanning App

What is Microsoft Office Lens Free Scanning App?

Microsoft Office Lens is a free mobile scanning app. As a student you can use it to create scanned copies of photos, documents, text books, whiteboards, posters, business cards and other content. It is available on both iOS and Android devices. Microsoft Lens allows users to further edit the file after scanning, convert them to other formats, and share them with other users. You do not need an Office 365 subscription or any other subscription package to assess the Microsoft Office Lens app. As long as you have a free Microsoft account, you can access this app for free.

Office Lens makes use of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) which even allows the source document to be converted into editable Word document.

Microsoft Office Lens Interface

When you open the Microsoft Office Lens app, your device’s back camera opens with a full-screen view and four content type options. You can swipe through these content options to choose your preference for the content you’re about to scan. Though the on-screen display of each content quality differs, all you have to do is press the white button in the centre of the screen, and your scanned file will be ready in a moment.

Different Content Types in Microsoft Office Lens

Document

You can use the document option to create scanned copies of paper pages, large amounts of texts, books and posters. Using the built-in cropping tool, you can crop out other items in the background to achieve a clear image of the target document.  You can also convert the scans to editable Word documents using OCR.

Whiteboard

Teachers and students can use the whiteboard option to create scanned copies of dry-erase or large boards. This option comes with an automated lightening for improved contrast, and the OCR feature comes in handy to make it possible for a screen reader to read the text and use the file on another application.

Photo

The Photo function is useful for taking pictures of other pictures. You may use it to create scanned copies of printed pictures, or even take new pictures. The front or selfie camera works in this mode, but it does not support the automatic cropping feature.

Business Card

This function is suitable for taking pictures of business cards or contact information and turning them into scanned copies. It is ideal for businesses and corporate individuals.

Microsoft Office Lens for those with a visual impairment.

 If you have a visually impairment you can also make use of office lens as the app supports screen reader functionality.  In this screen shot above you can see the Android reader is called immersive reader.  So you can scan handouts, text books or whiteboards using the app and then have this content read back to you. Alternatively, if you prefer to read yourself you could zoom in on the content to increase the font size.

Conclusion

Microsoft Office Lens is an excellent free tool and we would definitely recommended it to make your life easier when at University.

Download on the Apple App Store

Download on the Google Play Store

 

Visit the A2B Blog for more apps and software.

Thanks for reading,

A2B Assessments DSA Assessment Centre

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Chris Nikic’s Inspirational Story

Chris Nikic – The Iron Man

21-year-old Chris Nikic has made it into the Guinness World Record book as the first person with Down’s syndrome to complete an entire Ironman Triathlon event. According to Guinness World Records, Chris’s achievement is ‘awe-inspiring.’

The tri-athlete who hails from Florida swam 2.4 miles, cycled 112 miles, and ran a 26.2-mile marathon on the same day to complete the Ironman event. The event organised by the World Triathlon Corporation is one of the most taxing single-day sporting events in the world.

The Ironman event has been ongoing for the past 42 years, but Chris is the first athlete with Down’s syndrome to attempt and finish the event and go on to earn global recognition for his performance.

The race wasn’t all smooth sailing for Chris, who injured his knees and blood was shed when he got involved in a bike crash during his cycling. However, he didn’t let this stop him and through grit and determination he persisted on.

Chris successfully crossed the finish line after 16 hours, 46 minutes, and nine seconds, arriving 14 minutes under the official cut-off time, which was an outstanding performance.

If you are struggling to get motivated to exercise in lockdown, Chris’s moto is 1% better. Where each day he just tries to be 1% better than the last. Something most can manage. Check out his website where he has an awesome 1% better 30 day challenge you can get involved with.

Below is an emotional clip of Chris and his father discussing his journey on Theo Von’s podcast “This Past Weekend”… the full episode is also a great listen.

 

Thanks for reading and watching.

learn more about the disabled students allowance

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Todoist Organisational App

Managing time effectively is important when at university, whether it’s studying, completing coursework or exam revision. It is easy to quickly become overwhelmed and feel that there is just not enough time to fit everything in. Making lists of your tasks each day is a great way to keep on top of your work and life.

Todoist is one of the best to-do list apps available. All your information and data is stored and synced in the cloud, which means you can access your lists on any device at any time.  If you need some help with organising your life and becoming more productive then Todoist is a good place to start.

Organising your tasks in a list that you can tick off as you complete them can also be beneficial for your mental health. Firstly, knowing you have all of your jobs in a list can give you mental space and stop you worrying or feeling like you have forgotten tasks. Secondly, looking back at your list at the end of the day can really give you a sense of accomplishment. Especially with the current lockdown, it can feel like days are blending into one, but if you can look back at your lists and see that you have actually done quite a lot.

Some of the Key Features of Todoist

Todoist can give you a sense of confidence from knowing that all your tasks are organised and accounted for. It gives you a clear overview of your day and the tasks you need to accomplish.  Some of the key features include…

Quick Add

The Quick Add feature allows you to add your tasks in seconds. You can then easily view all your tasks for the day and mark them as complete as you go along.

 

Recurring Due Dates

This feature helps you commemorate the deadlines and build habits.

Favourites

You can let go of all the clutter and only focus your energy on the important things by easily organising and prioritising your projects and tasks on Todoist. You can plan out your schedules according to what’s most important first and needs immediate attention. The favourite tab helps you do this.

 

Delegate Tasks

You can also share the workload by delegating tasks to your teammates on Todoist. It’s very efficient and productive for students while working on group projects. The notifications segment in this feature keeps you updated whenever someone completes the task, or post comments. With this feature, you can make all the important information accessible to all the involved members.

Boards

Todoist boards let you easily organise different areas of your life. You could have a board for your studies, a board for your exercise, a board for your social life etc.

Karma

Karma gives you a broad view of your total progress with using the app. Set weekly or daily goals and foresee your work rate trends. Students can use this feature to keep track of how much preparation they’re doing before the exam.

Conclusion

Todoist is an excellent tool that you can use in all areas of your life to help keep yourself productive and motivated. It’s free to get started and to use the basic features however there is a pro option which costs around £30.00 per year, however students can get 70% off at this link.

Download on the mobile app on the App Store and Google Play store.

Or, get the desktop version from Todoist Website.

Learn about other useful apps on our blog.

Thanks for reading, A2B Assessments DSA Needs Assessment Centre

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The Best Mindfulness Meditation Apps

Lockdown is back upon us, we are again restricted from doing things we enjoy, seeing our friends, going to the gym, going to the cinema etc. The current situation can easily have a negative impact on our mental well-being, resulting in feelings of anxiety and depression.

One thing you can do from the comfort of your home is practice meditation and mindfulness. This study from Science Daily found that just one session of mindfulness meditation can reduce anxiety.

If you would like to reap some of the benefits of meditation but don’t know where to begin we have put together a list of the most-effective mindfulness smartphone apps for you. These apps are easy to navigate and are readily available in your app stores.

These aren’t ranked in any particular order…

Calm

Calm teaches mindfulness and offers daily meditation practices in a simple manner that everyone can understand.

The calm app contains guided meditations, including a 7-days-of-calm series. It also has a body scan and meditation that eases tension.

You will also enjoy timed meditation sessions, over 20 visual and audio nature backgrounds.  Calm is free to use but you can unlock more features by purchasing one of their subscriptions.

Get on the App Store or Google Play Store.

Headspace

The headspace app is a creation of a famous meditation teacher, Andy Puddicombe, who describes it as a gym membership for the mind.

This application has a free and paid variant, and users can opt for either option depending on their preferences.

After downloading the headspace app, begin with the ten-day mindfulness and meditation program that helps users to improve their health.

The headspace app has brain development as its focus, and it entails a list of special meditations in areas like a relationship, health, and general performance.

You can also explore tons of quick, one-time guided meditations to redirect and calm the mind quickly when you need a fix.

One of the more unique features of headspace compared to the other apps in this list is that you can connect with your friends on the app and meditate together.

Get on the App Store or Google Play Store.

Insight Timer

The Insight Timer app has a huge amount of free content available to consume and experience. To explore the free content, scroll past the button that asks you to begin a free trial and you will then have access to the free library.

Insight Timer boasts over 6 million active users and is like a huge community with thousands of guided meditations from tons of teachers who add new material daily. The app houses guided meditations across fields like creativity, stress, and relationships. Another cool feature is that on the app you can see how many people are meditating in real-time, and how many meditations are active on that day.

You can also browse through the list of teachers on the app to find out what teacher you prefer and follow their profile. Some popular teachers on the app are Tara Brach, Sharon Salzberg, and Jack Kornfield. Follow any teacher you love and keep tabs on their content to help you through your meditation journey.

Get on the App Store or Google Play Store.

Simply Being

As the name suggests, this app is a simple and straightforward meditation guide created by Richard and Mary Maddux, a couple who make up the Meditation Oasis team.

Richard is a music composer, while Mary is a healing arts practitioner and counselor. The duo created this simple and appealing app that users can download after paying a one-time fee.

Once you download the app, you can listen to several timed and guided meditations with or without sounds of nature and background music.

If you thrive on simple meditative processes, then Simply Being is a useful app of guided meditations.

This app doesn’t have a free version but costs £1.99. Get on the App Store or Google Play Store.

My Life Meditation (formely Stop, Breathe & Think)

In essence, mindfulness is all about stopping, breathing, and managing your thoughts. This is why this mindfulness app has a name that instills the essence and awareness of mindfulness.

A cool feature of this application is that you can enter your current mood it will direct you to the best meditations for your day.

My Life Meditation is a completely free app created by ‘Tools for Peace,” a non-profit organisation for effective meditation.

Get it on the App Store or Google Play Store.

Conclusion

Mindfulness meditation offers many health benefits, but like many good things, it needs constant practice. If you are feeling particularly anxious try and follow along with a guided meditation and see how you feel afterwards. You have nothing to lose.

For further reading on meditation check out our previous blog post Meditation For Stress And Anxiety.

Thanks for Reading, A2B DSA Assessment Centre.

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