“How can I help you?”

That’s how each half-hour one-on-one session starts.

And who knows where it’s going to end?

“That’s the joy of the LSE LIFE study adviser role,” as one adviser, Georgia Nichols, put it: “You never quite know what you’re going to get.” The majority of appointments are for academic issues, but even those offer a huge variety: students wanting help with academic reading, note-taking advice, exam revision, research questions for Master’s dissertations, or even how to deal with an absent adviser. “We have a hive-mind of expertise to call upon. Someone always knows the answer,” nods Georgia, “or how to find it.”  

These sessions are offered on campus or online, and advisers are available five days a week, from 10am-6pm, even during June, July, and August when many of the School’s other services are closed for the break. LSE LIFE study advisers provide a friendly, sympathetic ear, alongside expertise and experience in social science learning, writing, and research.  “We’re often giving the support we wished we’d had ourselves.” And this support is outside the usual university hierarchy: “You can see the change in students when they realise that they don’t have to impress you… students can have a less hierarchical relationship with us than with lecturers and professors,” as Georgia puts it.

“They can ask us questions they’re afraid to ask anyone else,” and this openness means that when students need more than academic support, LSE LIFE is there for them then, too. Students come to us when they’re facing general worry or anxiety, difficulty paying their tuition fees because of exchange rate fluctuations, feeling far away from home, challenges meeting people and making new friends, or insecurities about being an imposter studying alongside such clever classmates.

For some students, having a place to talk and someone to listen is genuinely life-changing. “We’ve stopped students from dropping out,” says Georgia, proudly.  And of course we learn from them. Thanks to the perspective they help us see, we have the potential to use our understanding of LSE students’ experience to help shape how the School works – in small and big ways.

LSE LIFE strives to create a space where any student can come to talk about anything related to being a student at LSE – no matter what they study, what year or level they are, what challenges they face or advantages they have or haven’t had, or the contour of the path that led them to LSE in the first place.

Academic support is one of the vital roles LSE LIFE plays in improving the lives of students, allowing them to realise their full potential. But how to reach out to those students who are struggling?

That’s where SAM, the Student Academic Mentoring Programme, comes in.

A perfect example of a student-led initiative, the SAM Programme was the original idea of two first-year economics students in 2017 – and since then, it has expanded to over 300 mentors guiding over 750 fellow students in 13 departments.

It’s a simple idea. Second and third-year students volunteer to join the Programme to support first-year students in the same discipline to learn the ropes and overcome obstacles.

As Jenny Stowar, head of the Programme, remarks: “This frees you from the power dynamics inherent in a university.”  Students might be reluctant to ask clarifications of professors whom they’ll later be asking for references. After all, who better to help navigate the specifics of a class than those who have just been through it?

“It has to be an experience that’s as rewarding for the mentor as the mentee,” Jenny stresses. Following the training programme all volunteers receive – both online and in groups offering mock tutoring sessions – “they clearly feel more confident and organised themselves. It has to be an empowering experience.” Students have also told us that it helps them with their communication skills. For many, it’s a first taste of being a mentor and an educator, and perhaps a first step towards becoming educators themselves.

And the Programme continues to expand. “Not only are we seeing more volunteers,” Jenny states, “but this year we’ve started training to provide specific mentoring for students identifying as neurodiverse, to assist with the day-to-day engagement of their studies.”

In six years, the Student Academic Mentoring Programme has gone from an idea by two students to being an integral part of the undergraduate experience for many students.

And we are very proud of our achievement! As Jenny says, “It’s so rewarding to see we’re making a difference in making this university a more supportive place.”

“I couldn’t understand why anyone hadn’t done this before?” was Gio Graglia’s reaction when he first proposed LIFE in London. The idea was born from his own undergraduate experience.  For him, London was one of the main reasons he chose to study at LSE: “It was so exciting, but then I never saw any of it.”  To get from idea to reality, Gio came up with a programme of events, open to any LSE student, from any year, from any department.  “There was nothing quite like that,” he explained, “and I really wanted to help students find their feet in London.” 

That’s how LIFE in London was born and now ranks among LSE LIFE’s most popular activities. With a diverse set of walking tours and visits in central London; running clubs in London parks; and group outings to concerts, exhibitions, theatre, and other cultural events, LIFE in London provides an opportunity for students to explore the incredible diversity of experiences that London offers. “It allows for a tremendous cultural and personal growth,” Gio explains.

But more than that, it helps London feel like a home to these students, who are often very far from home. And seeing them become comfortable in London is what Gio relishes: “The most exciting thing is to see students finding their place in London. Even people who’ve been born or raised here but who’ve never had the opportunity to take advantage of it.”  It’s also a brilliant way for students from different departments and backgrounds to connect with each other. “It’s become a bit of a bonding experience for those who want to explore the city,” Gio admits.

LIFE in London events are free of charge for all students; we manage this by negotiating and buying discounted tickets. But many visits cost nothing, including some well-hidden places that students might be too intimidated to visit on their own, “Seeing them walk into Sotheby’s or Christie’s auction rooms and watch them realise they’re open to everyone, that gives them real confidence.”

LIFE in London activities (60 in the past year) are usually fully booked within moments of being posted online. And the experiences are getting more and more varied thanks to suggestions and ideas from students themselves, like a recent graffiti art lesson with a street artist in East London. Gio sees no limit to what LIFE in London can achieve: “Seeing people’s attitude to London change and that they feel better about doing stuff here with their friends, it makes me love London even more.”

A recent addition to LSE LIFE, the Volunteer Centre’s goals are to unlock the full potential of the student experience at LSE by making it simple and easy to volunteer, and to make the experience as rewarding and transformative as it can be. Dave Coles, head of the Volunteer Centre, puts it plainly: “We allow students to choose their passion and to shape their individual stories.”

Volunteering opportunities range from an hour a week up to weeks-long consultancy projects. “We know a student’s time is precious,” Dave admits, “but volunteering can be an integral part of an educational experience.” With 2,000 students working with up to 300 NGOs a year, there are opportunities for everyone to join. There are seminars and one-to-one sessions offered throughout the year to help students get involved. “Right now, we have an online volunteering board with 130 opportunities, from building a website to coaching, so the question for students is: how do you want to make a change?”

And make a change they certainly do! The feedback from organisations where LSE students have volunteered has been immensely positive. One comment reads: “Their insights were crucial for steering the organisation in the right direction.”

“But we’re not just a brokerage service connecting students with charities,” stresses Dave.  For example, the Centre recently ran a disability project to help place volunteers with disabilities in charities over Summer – which also helped educate charities themselves about how they can make themselves more accessible.

We also support students in creating their own volunteering projects, so that the projects continue after the founding students graduate to go on to inspire a whole new generation of incoming students. One idea from a member of the LSE Lacrosse team is to coach lacrosse at local schools. “Everyone,” as Dave states, “can be an agent of change.”

At the heart of the centre is a single belief: that volunteering can be life-changing.  “For many,” Dave says, “it’s the collaborative impact they see as the greatest revelation, working with people from different departments and backgrounds, who otherwise they might never have met.” Dave is adamant that: “Volunteering can transform a student’s experience, helping them find friends, helping them understand who they are and what they really value in life.”  

Being an LSE student isn’t only about studying; learning at LSE also means learning about yourself. LSE LIFE creates a space where students can reflect on their personal goals, their professional aspirations, and what they can do to achieve them.  

Together with specialists from LSE Careers, student counsellors, academics in communication and decision-making science, and professional creatives and storytellers, LSE LIFE takes a holistic view in shaping our personal and professional development offer.  Whether it’s experimenting with different ways to manage a project and use time wisely, taking charge of their personal finances, gaining confidence as a public speaker, practising mindfulness, or working as part of a team - we support students to help them grow not just as a scholar, but as a person.

Learning and practising leadership is central to discovering new ways to approach collaboration, cooperation, communication, and community.  And the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme is an exciting new addition to LSE LIFE’s offer that gives 25 first year undergraduate students a chance to do just that.  

Laidlaw scholars take part in a three-stage process, progressing from writing an initial research project on a topic about which they’re passionate, to a leadership retreat combined with guest speakers and coaching, spread across the academic year, and culminating in a six-week leadership-in-action experience, which allows them to put their research into action by playing a leading role in a change project based on their initial research findings.

So how do you identify potential leaders? “We looked for those who were self-actualising. They needed to possess the ability to reflect about themselves,” Philip explains. “We asked them what they wanted to do and what leadership means to them.”  Philip stresses that in order to unlock the leadership potential in these students, he is “trying to lean away from the corporate approach and focus on the individuals.” He continues, “We wanted to engage them on every level: organisationally, ethically, creatively.” 

And, above all, he stresses, the scholars need to master the ability to listen. “The ability to share insights they’ve gained with each other. And that means the ability to tell stories. Their own story.” Which is why a Hollywood veteran of Marvel, Pixar and Netflix was brought in to coach them on storytelling. About how they could unlock their own narratives and use them to inspire others. “Ultimately, we want them to be beacons out into the larger community,” says Philip. “They’re learning that you don’t have to be evil or selfish to be a leader.” 

Doing their very best in their academic work is a priority for LSE students. And for most of them, coming to LSE to study means stepping up from school to university, or from undergraduate to postgraduate level.  Many students arrive at LSE to enter a new academic culture – often encountering very different concepts and practises of studying and learning.

LSE LIFE supports students in their academic endeavours by making the expectations around studies more transparent and creating spaces where they can practise and ask questions about how to study, not just what they’re studying.  We get about 10,000 workshop bookings a year. Workshops run all year long, including over the summer break when most postgraduates are working on dissertations. Topics range from finding and reading academic texts, making notes in lectures or from readings, constructing arguments and writing clearly and critically – and other key skills for navigating the plethora of ideas, theories, and research every LSE student will face in their courses.

But workshops around academic skills are not simply about how-to. They are opportunities to meet other students studying other subjects, with different experiences and priorities. “Students leave our workshops understanding that they are not the only one who is finding studying tough,” says Helen Green, one of LSE LIFE’s learning developers. “And this is a huge revelation.  So many students believe that everyone else in their class is just getting on with it without any trouble at all.” Coming together with other thinkers and scholars is where real discoveries are made. “Our workshops are not just about a particular skill – they are designed so that students are more confident that they belong in this conversation.”

One of the most important pillars of LSE LIFE workshops is that very often in the social sciences, there is not one right answer that teachers are looking for, nor one right way to approach an assignment. Students learn that they are expected to understand, interpret, and apply the “answers” they find, in informed and thoughtful arguments and explanations. So in our workshops, we don’t tell students what to do.  We listen to their concerns and questions, examine examples, and discuss different ways to approach learning, so that each student finds the solution that works for them.

Of course not everyone can make it to a scheduled workshop! This is why we’ve built an extensive set of online resources that students can use anytime – to refresh what they learned in a workshop or find a specific piece of advice whenever they need it.

One example is LSE’s online pre-arrival course, Prepare to Learn at LSE.  This is the initial point of contact for many new students where they can get a preview of what’s to come. One of LSE LIFE’s components of this course is the Academic Integrity Module that presents what plagiarism is and how to avoid it, a topic many incoming students have never encountered before. We show ways to cite sources properly, as well as how to “effectively evaluate, analyse and be critical about them” without resorting to “simple cut-and-pasting,” explains Sarah Taylor, creator of this module. Warnings are raised about the use of essay mills, not just the academic penalty of being discovered, but also the very real danger that users could become the targets of blackmail later in their careers by these unscrupulous firms – “a real danger considering the high-powered roles many LSE graduates go on to play.”

Sarah believes that “it’s important to get this information out to students as early as possible.” But more than that, by incorporating the Academic Integrity Module into LSE LIFE’s own online Moodle system, it’s a chance for LSE LIFE to help create “a climate of community” before they even arrive. It also provides a gateway into the full suite of online resources that LSE LIFE has made available on topics such as: essay writing, academic reading (“a completely different beast”), and managing a reading list – “all,” as Sarah says, “essential skills.” And this is one of the most important points about this module: “It’s really a way for us to introduce ourselves to the incoming students.”

“We want to make a difference,” Sarah states. She continues: “Using the feedback from the students themselves, we’re going to keep strengthening this strand and ensure that new arrivals at LSE are off to the best possible start.”