Creating healthy relationships

You will develop a range of different relationships through your time at university. It is normal that some relationships may have challenges as well as positive times.  

Some relationships or experiences can also be detrimental and may cause you concern.  This section contains some essential information to help you manage relationships, identify unhealthy situations, understand university expectations, and offer sources of support whenever you may need it. 

Our expectations within our community at the University 

The University of Leeds expects all students and staff to behaviour in a manner that is respectful to each other. We are committed to creating a community that is actively supportive and opposes discrimination.   

Our Supporting Healthy Relationships module intends to help all students understand our expectations of their behaviour, how to safely challenge i inappropriate behaviour and how to access support if it is needed, We encourage you to access our Supporting health relationships module. 

Managing healthy relationships 

Whether the relationship is with a friend, peer, a staff member of an intimate partner there are some common elements that make it healthy: 

  • Honesty 
  • Trust 
  • Respect 
  • Open Communication 
  • A genuine approach to compromise when needed 

You can feel happy to see that person, or feel you are in a good environment to learn and contribute and/or feel relaxed and that you can be yourself.  Even in healthy relationships, you will have disagreements, differences of opinion and can be upset or frustrated with each other.  This is normal and all part of how we manage our day-to-day healthy relationships with the range of people we meet.   

In a study setting it is important to: 

  • Understand and appreciate that different perspectives will be discussed that may not always be the same as yours 
  • Share your thoughts and ideas and take time to listen and let others express their thoughts and ideas 
  • If there is conflict, discuss ways to resolve it together, this may include agreeing to disagree. 
  • Creating healthy relationships with your peers can help enhance your learning as well as improving your wellbeing and engagement with opportunities. 
  • Sometimes feeling stressed, finding it hard to connect, staying on top of your studies or feeling confident to get your point across can impact on how you engage and feel comfortable with the relationships around you.  This is normal and although they may not show it, many students will have similar feelings and experiences.   

3 things that can help: