Hello again!

You got through Week 2, well done! Really hope everyone is settling in nicely and finding their feet in this new academic year. It was a crazy week, it’s a crazy world but again I’m going to sound like a broken record, look after yourself and each other, it’s really important during these times!

The Budget came out on Tuesday this week. There are two points regarding Higher Education I’d like to draw your attention to:
- €250 refund for undergrad students for fees
- The postgrad grant increased to €3,500 from €2,000 and an increase in the income threshold to €54,240.
These are welcomed but the Government needs to help students more during these times and increase funding across the board for Higher Education. We in DCUSU will continue to work as hard as we can for our students.

The DCU Clubs and Socs Virtual Fair this week was great, it showcased the best of what DCU has to offer and I really hope you got an opportunity to check it out! If you didn’t, don’t worry, all the Club and Society information can be found here https://dcuclubsandsocs.ie/ Don’t be afraid to try something new and of course make sure you join clubs and societies you have a passion about!

Don’t Drop Out, Drop In runs from Monday to Friday this week with three daily workshops aimed at showing you your options if you’re struggling with the start of the academic year. Check them out below.

DCU Connected TV continued last week and will run into this week, there are loads of new live acts, cooking shows, comedians and much more so keep an eye out!

Make sure to keep in touch with us here in the Students' Union, we are here to help!
Contact your team here:

President - Fearghal@dcusu.ie
VP for Academic Affairs - Lucien@dcusu.ie
VP for Education and Placement - Chloe@dcusu.ie
VP for Engagement and Development - Dylan@dcusu.ie
VP for Welfare and Equality - Dean@dcusu.ie

Learn more about the full SU team who are here to represent you!

Head to the 'Welcome 2020' section of our website for all the information you might need!

As always,
Keep safe, be nice and let’s look after eachother,

Fearghal

DCUSU President

DON'T DROP OUT, DROP IN!

For the full list of what's on and how to access each event, click here. — **For the full list of what's on and how to access each event,** **click here.**

CLUBS AND SOCS

Join DCU Clubs & Societies - one of the best decisions you will make while in DCU! Here is a list of our 140+ Clubs and Societies. Click on each one to find out more. Make an account on our Clubs and Socs system to register so you can … — **Join DCU Clubs & Societies - one of the best decisions you will make while in DCU!** **Here is a list of our 140+ Clubs and Societies.** **Click on each one to find out more. Make an account on our Clubs and Socs system to register so you can join as many Clubs and Socs as you'd like!**

**Check out all of the events our Clubs and Societies have on next week here. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved!**

CLASS REPS

Who is my Class Rep? Check out our Class Rep Hub to find your Class Rep. Don't worry if your class doesn't have a rep, elections are ongoing and this list will be continually updated. Stay tuned!  Got any questions? Pop Dylan@dcu… — Who is my Class Rep?
Check out our **Class Rep Hub** to find your Class Rep. Don't worry if your class doesn't have a rep, elections are ongoing and this list will be continually updated. Stay tuned!
Got any questions? Pop **Dylan@dcusu.ie** **an email!**

HELPFUL INFORMATION

Withdrawing/Deferral: Friday Oct 30 is the deadline for withdrawing from the University without forfeiting your ‘free fees’, which you will only receive once. Therefore it'll be cheaper for you to re-enrol in University in a future year. It's also the deadline for deferring your academic year if you'd like to sit this year out and come back in Autumn 2021.
Don’t Drop Out, Drop In runs from Mon-Fri this week with three daily workshops aimed at showing you your options if you’re struggling with the start of the academic year. Make sure to tune in.
GP Services: The Health Centre in DCU is operating via telephone (01 7005143) or email (healthservices@dcu.ie). There are many GPs linked with DCU who offer discounts for students. Information here.
Mental Health: Students can always free text ‘HELLO’ to 50808 to be connected with a trained counsellor. More mental health information including free DCU Counselling here.
Finance: A reminder that the Student Assistance Fund is opening soon. Further information on financial support can be found here.
Accommodation: All information on where you can find long-term & short-term accommodation both on and off-campus is available here.
Black Students & Students of Colour Advisory Group: Black Students & Students of Colour interested in joining our new advisory group for making positive changes, email dean@dcusu.ie.
Free Items Via Post: Anonymous pregnancy tests, free drug-purity testing kits, and LGBTQ+ badges available.
Registration: Make sure you’ve registered for the year and paid your fees to ensure you’re able to access all elements of your coursework, and - for first years - to be able to receive your student ID card.
Most textbooks and readings for your course will be available through the library, but if you need to buy a textbook, check out our DCU Book Fair group on Facebook where students swap and sell used textbooks.
The library is available for booking slots on Tues, Weds and Thurs, with expanded opening hours coming soon. Information on using the library is available here, including how to get your library PIN for reserving books.
Microsoft Office 365 is available free for all DCU students. Check our Instagram page for information on the best laptops and tech advice for starting a new year in DCU
Lockers: Students can clear lockers when you return to campus, if your locker is based on SPC, return your key to the security office at the gate and they will return your deposit. Update on lockers for this academic year to follow.
School Placement: If you are sourcing a school for placement, keep track of the schools you have contacted. If the deadline is soon and you are struggling to find a school, you can contact the SP office and include this log.
Academic Support: If you’re struggling with essay writing, maths or any other element of learning, check out the Student Learning section of DCU’s website for a variety of support.

The DCU Little Things are 10 key messages around the little things you can do every day to support your own or a friend's mental health and wellbeing. These messages are based on feedback from you, a real DCU student!

This week's message is:
Just like your study, keep eating at similar times of the day and include it in your daily plan. Keep man meals healthy, eg. porridge for breakfast.

Each week we will share a DCU Little Things message across DCUSU and DCU Healthy social media platforms. We hope you these messages encourage you to do the little things to support your wellbeing as we start a new semester in an uncertain time.