Stress relief transcript - uncoded

A: So The first question is, How are you taking university life?

B: Um Yeah, it’s okay. I mean, obviously I am a lot older, so um, it can be challenging with so many
young people around and um, but yeah I’m in a retake year so in effect to actually been here for about 4
years.

A: Ok so, I remember you said You’ve been here for four years so um , that was before COVID wasn’t it?

B: Yeah

A: So, How have you found it Like before COVID and then during and then now?

B: Um, So I mean I didn’t mind too much the lectures online and the seminars online. It wasn’t too much
of a problem for me, um, it was probably easier for me, with the children, um. Obviously coming back
again, um, I think it just takes readjustment. It feels like I’ve started Uni all over again so.

A: Yeah, Um. So what course are you doing?

B: Um, Criminology and criminal justice.

A: Ok, are you enjoying it?

B: Yeah, yeah it’s, yeah it’s hard.

A: Do you know what you want to do after you finish?

B: Um, not really, I actually work in um, criminal justice at the minute so.

A: Oh ok

B: Um, yeah It would just be to further my knowledge, um, possibly probation maybe one day.

A: So what do you do for your job? Like what are you doing day to day?

B: So, I work for a mentoring organisation, So I’m the manager. Um, I work in HMP Brinsford and HMP
Oakwood. So we mentor offenders up to six months in custody and up to twelve months after the
release.

A: oh ok wow. So how do you – So you’ve got children like you’ve said, so how do you manage, like your
social life and then university work as well?

B: Erm, I don’t really have a social life to be honest. Erm, I think my social life is – is my children. So, erm,
you know go to a lot of activities with them. Erm, also I do work full time as well. It is quite hard fitting
everything in, erm, I tend to do a lot of Uni work at night-time, erm, and on weekends.

A: Are your children quite young, so you have to take them to school and stuff?

B: Yes, yeah.
A: Ok, so that's quite, I would say stressful, isn’t it? If your at university as well.

B: Yeah, very stressful.

A: So, how do you feel like you cope with pressure, like with deadlines and stuff like that?..

B: Erm.

A: ... With your job and with your children as well.

B: Yeah, sometimes, erm, I am not very organised and can leave it until last minute, so then pressure is
on, and I start to panic, erm, and I can feel, I can actually feel myself going to burn out.. So, other times,
it depends on how much preparation has to go into – say an assignment, erm, you know, if I organise my
time properly... then I can get things done.

A: So, how do you organise your time? Do you like do things in little bits, do you like … have a timetable
for when you’re going to study and stuff?

B: Yes, so, erm, I tend to just plan, erm, a part of – say you know what module I am doing, erm, and on
what evening, erm. So yeah it’s all about preparation, erm, diary, Calanders, that type of thing.

A: Ok, I do have a few little card things so, there’s quite a lot of them but, it’s just more like little hobby
cards, and I was just wondering, if you could put them into little categories of, so these are the things
that you like to do when you’re not studying or looking after your children or at your job, and then just
things that you don’t like, and then if there is any that don’t like apply to you just put them over there
kind of thing.

B: (pause) …. I don’t like ironing but I have to do it so...

A: (laugh) …. pause …. If you don’t like it you can just put it in this pile

B: Oh ok

A: so these are the ones you like, these are the ones you don’t like and these are the ones that don’t
concern to you

B: Ok, so, I like makeup. Drink caffeine, couple cups of tea, … mountain – would never, sport – no, I love
sleeping … (pause) (sorting through cards) … There you go

A: Ok, so these are the ones that you do like?

B: Yes,

A: So I was just wondering .. sorry … So would you say these are ones that you use as stress relief ..

B: Erm

A: like .. to keep your mind of studies?

B: Possibly, erm, and some of them I just choose as just time for me in general.
A: Is there any that you would like consider as your favourite? … What have you put... you’ve put
music...shopping, makeup … sleeping, caffeine … ok … So for caffeine would you – do you use that to
help with the stress for university?

B: Yeah, so say if erm, that’s just sort of associated with a break. So it’s a cup of tea.

A: Ok

B: So that’s all sort of – like a routine.

A: So is it more just tea, is it not like coffee or erm, energy drinks?

B: No

A: No? So … Would you say that’s like an everyday thing? The tea, like multiple times a day?

B: Yeah

A: Ok. So sleeping – so you was saying how you have to have, like, you have to plan out when you’re
having to study, but what about just in normal everyday life, like do you have like a structure to your
day, do you have like a set bedtime – it might be harder with like children and a job obviously...

B: Yeah

A: ..But do you have like a set wind down time kind of thing?

B: Erm, I try to be in bed for 9pm .. Erm, at that’s purely because obviously I try and set an example to
the children.. So, erm, and that also helps my younger son with his sleeping. So, erm, I try to get up at
the same time everyday as well to set an example to them.

A: Yeah … Have you noticed if it helps with like mental health or anything? Because I know if like if I have
like a set sleeping schedule it helps me feel like a bit calmer and I’m less like emotionally unstable kind
of thing.

B: Yeah... Erm, I just … Sometimes I can feel that .. erm... maybe I don’t get enough sleep … erm … but
yeah I would say that it does … yeah it does help.

A: Erm .. so do you use music as also a stress relief kind of thing?

B: Yes .. erm , not very often, erm but, sometimes, erm I will play like a erm. YouTube.. Its like a sleep
sort of relaxing, erm, and I put it under the pillow.

A: Ok, so , erm, obviously You have said that you do you feel stressed, coming up to deadlines And you
have been here since before covid, I was just wondering, have you noticed your stress levels have
changed from level 4 to level 6 now.

B: Erm, yes. Yeah, definitely. Erm, I think, because obviously pressures on for the last year

A: Yeah

B: And dissertations... Erm, I am worried, I am anxious … Erm, if I can complete the work .. If I am going
to get acceptable grades .. Erm, so yeah it’s ..
A: Yeah … Do you think .. erm, covid had any like .. I know you said you was good with the erm, the
online lectures and stuff. But when I did it. I was so stressed this.. Like I had no one to tell me .. like I
need someone to tell me what to do do you know what I mean.. So I was just wondering if like .. you
felt. .. obviously a lot of people struggled during the lockdowns so I was just wondering if you did?
Obviously you said you was good with the online lectures but about the assignments and writing, was
you good with you, keeping on top of it and stuff like that?

B: well, no, hence the reason I am actually retaking .. oh Sorry I retook year two.

A: ok

B: So, erm, yeah … Personal family problems and things like that.

A: Erm, so have .. The University sometimes sends out emails to help with like student stress .. Have you
like looked at that? have any of them helped? Like things like tips.

B: I haven’t looked to be honest ..

A: No? do you think the lectures have been good with like helping you with assignments like if you have
asked for help? like, especially doing covid .. What was it like having to contact them over the Internet
and like obviously in a global pandemic Where everyone was going through a lot.

B: Erm, I mean they replied. Erm, and obviously you know I reached out when I felt like a need to and I
got the answers that, that I needed.

A: Ok , so erm, in your opinion, what would be your best form of stress relief?

B: .. Erm, I think I need to organise. I need to spend a lot of time on organising myself. Erm..

A: So like structure.. Having structure?

B: yeah, that is what I need to do. Erm, because obviously I don’t just think of myself. I think for ..

A: Yeah

B: my partner. I think for my two, my two small children. So, erm, I think that my organisation Makes
quite a difference.

A: so, would you use that like for every day, Do you have to have structure every single day?..

B: Yes

A: Do you have like days off just to completely chill? Like not to think about uni whatsoever?

B: Erm, there’s always other things that that take its place.

A: Yeah.. Erm, so yeah I think that’s pretty much .. Erm, sorry .. so, what made you like start have a
structure? . So what made you think Like okay I need have structure. Like obviously you have kids so
that’s probably it

B: Erm, it was just everything, it was the fact that obviously I’ve got work, erm, I’ve got deadlines to
meet at work, deadlines to meet at the prison’s, deadlines to meet at uni, my children have got
deadlines For certain things,
A: yeah

B: so yeah.,

A: so when you’re stressed .. , when I get is just a kind of pretend that it doesn’t Exist like whatever
problem is, so when you’re stressed about uni deadlines, are you like, okay, I need to get on top of it
now?

B: yeah

A: thats good... and then, I think my last question is, is there anything that you feel like I haven’t asked
us anything that you would like to close on?

B: No

A: no? Ok

B: no

A: I think we’re done.