Every new phase in life comes with new opportunities, but also challenges. When you start your studies, you might have changed the city or environment in which you live. You are expected to work more independently than at school, and have more responsibility for your own personal development. Another such transition occurs when you pass to the level a Master's or PhD thesis. Tasks become more complex and outcomes less clear, demands for independence and self-management increase again significantly, one’s own career plans may be ambiguous. 

Clearly these new phases hold a potential to grow, but they can also be intimidating or burdensome - sometimes in diffuse, barely perceptible ways. Becoming aware of such challenges, and communicating about them openly with peers, often mitigates them or can point out alternative forms of coping, and act supportively. But our department and the University of Cologne also offer a number of events and contact persons which can provide help.

All these offers are free of cost and independent of the health insurance system:

At the University of Cologne:

• Student Council Physics – Team Obelix
• Student Health Management
• Occupational Health Management
• Counseling for Staff
• Counseling for Students (website only in german)
• Student services: counselling & workshops
• Social counseling
• Professional Center
• Unisport – Body & Mind
• Nightline Köln the listening and information telephone for students of all universities in Cologne – also in English on Thursdays (9 pm to 12 pm)