Abstract
Students entering higher education often face uncertainty as they navigate academic expectations and future pathways. Success requires not only academic competence but also resilience, wellbeing, and a sense of belonging. Learning Development (LD) can support these needs by combining academic skill-building with approaches that strengthen personal resources and promote inclusive student experiences. Although wellbeing is closely linked to resilience and can be enhanced through simple, everyday practices (Fredrickson, 2001; Roepke & Seligman, 2015; Leppin et al., 2014), wellbeing-focused activities remain limited within many higher education curricula despite rising concerns about stress and mental health.
This presentation introduces ‘59 Ways to Wellbeing’, a resource developed at the University of Surrey to address this gap. Co-created with students, this calendar-style tool integrates positive psychology and LD strategies to provide 59 accessible, inclusive activities that support wellbeing, resilience, and academic development. Designed for two challenging points in the academic year (October and February) the resource aims to help students embed practical strategies into their routines, enhancing their capacity to manage challenges and strengthening their sense of belonging.
The presentation will outline the tool’s development and share evaluation findings on its impact, as well as consider how it may be adapted across different institutional contexts.
Presenters
Sarah Hack, Nayiri Keshishi; Hazel Williams and Laura Hamilton from University of Surrey
References
Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218
Leppin, A. L., Bora, P. R., Tilburt, J. C., Gionfriddo, M. R., Zeballos-Pelacios, C., Dulhohery, M. M., Sood, A., Erwin, P. W., Brito, J. P., Boehmer, K. R., & Montori, V. M. (2014). The efficacy of resiliency training programs: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. PLOS One, 9(10), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0111420
Roepke, A. M., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2014). Doors opening: A mechanism for growth after adversity. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 10(2), 107–115. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2014.913669
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