Comment: Results are in

Not actually quite yet, but from first thing tomorrow morning A-Level students will be able to find out what their grades are, which will determine their futures and, for those who are hoping to go to university, could prove vital.

An exciting and stressful time, then, with further exciting and stressful times to follow, because going to university is a big step, leaving home, starting a different life, being among strangers and the challenge of making new friends.

On top of those factors comes the academic stresses of being pitched into a hothouse learning atmosphere with high expectations.

All in all, going to university is a great adventure for which some are better prepared than others. It is an adventure on which more young people are embarking than ever. Record numbers of students will start university this autumn, with numbers swelled by those who have deferred their place from last year in the very special circumstances of recent times.

We should never underestimate the upheaval caused by moving away from home and having to fend for yourself.

Many students last year had a horrendous experience as the pandemic ruined the social aspects of university life and made the process of learning difficult. Many young people felt isolated and alone, often without the pastoral support needed from their university.

They were robbed of those aspects of university life which students before them have enjoyed.

Going to university should be a good time in young people's lives, and the public perception tends to be that students must be having a good time, whereas the reality is that a significant proportion have mental health issues to contend with, and it has been found that a third of students often or always feel lonely.

This is the paradox, that some of the most lively, busy, and bustling places can also be some of the most lonely places.

This year continues to bring uncertainty with the pandemic and many universities are starting off with remote learning. It is essential that universities do their utmost to support their students and do all they can for the mental wellbeing of those who are embarking on a new path which can be exhilarating, but for many can also be lonely and frightening.