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Student Erika Bartolo writes:

I am in my third year of the BSc (Hons) Veterinary Nursing with Companion Animal Behaviour course and am currently undertaking my sandwich year placement. 

I work 40-plus hours a week from 8:30am till 6:30pm, which can be very stressful!  But with the little free time I do have, I’ve been training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.  I’ve been doing this for about four and a half years, and it has really helped me, both mentally and physically.  I usually train four to five days a week, and most sessions are after I finish a day at the vets, so it does mean long days.

Although I am very rarely at home, my training has helped me build confidence and allows me to de-stress after a day at the vets.  In February, I attended a women's only competition (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is very male-dominated therefore this event targeted women training in the sport to get more publicity), and I managed to win my match with the support of my teammates!

Competitions can be challenging and incredibly nerve-wracking, but I always look to challenge myself in this sport which I think is a trait I can also use in my placement. 

My overall hope in sharing this, is to demonstrate that having a hobby you love and enjoy, alongside like-minded people can really help you mentally and it's a great way to de-stress after a hectic day at the vets!