At the end of second year I was suffering with anxiety, probably a due to a combination of exam stress and not looking after myself enough. I ended up coming home straight after exams and had a long rethink about my struggles with anxiety, including talks with my mum and my GP. This rethink has assembled into some advice that I think could benefit all struggling university students. Everybodyâs situation is different, with different home environments, but I hope maybe some of these things can help some of you, and maybe just reassure you that you are not alone.
Sleep
I know this is a controversial one for students, especially if you are a fresher, but changing my sleep routine over the summer has been the single best thing I have done for my mental health. Itâs not about following a specific routine but finding one that works for you (and also fits in with your studies!). For me, going to bed at 10pm and waking up at 7am everyday (or 8am letâs be honest) is great as it keeps my circadian rhythm functioning at its best. I also know that I can get more done in the morning than I ever would in the afternoon, but if you know you work better in the evening, just adapt your sleep to fit your preferences.
Daylight
No matter what time I get up, seeing daylight is an immediate mood booster. I know in winter it can be hard to come by, but even just going for a quick walk around campus between lectures calms me down.
Writing
This can come in many forms, depending on what you like to do best. Iâve tried journalling but I can never stick to it, which makes me feel worse about myself rather than better. Instead I like to make a small list the night before of things I want to do the next day, which could be as simple as âhave breakfastâ or âread for half an hourâ. This allows me to get my worries about the upcoming days down on paper, so I donât have to keep going over them in my head instead of sleeping.
Going home
For some reason in first and second year I saw going home as meaning I had failed my âuniversity experience. In reality, knowing that I am going home for a weekend soon makes me so much more relaxed about being at uni, and allows me to fill my time more effectively so I can accomplish most things I wanted to get done in the week. I am so lucky that my family is so supportive and that I am always welcome there, so why not utilise it when I know it relaxes me? University can be a very overstimulating place sometimes, even for someone in third year, and going home is a great reset for me to prevent burnout. It is so important to remember that campus is not a prison! As weird as that sounds, that was what I thought in first year, but actually I was just sabotaging myself by staying at university all the time.
Reading
When I was younger, I was an avid reader, and losing myself in a good story was the perfect way to forget about my own anxieties, but as I got older, and TV shows enticed me into their shiny webs, books got less and less appealing. However, recently I was finding myself getting stressed while trying to land on the perfect show to watch on Netflix or bored of films only half-way through. I decided to set myself the challenge of reading some classics I had always meant to read but was too scared. I eased myself in with Brideshead Revisited, and then graduated to Madame Bovary and Tess of the dâUrbervilles (now my favourite book!). Starting my morning reading a few pages of my book instead of scrolling on my phone is so much more calming for my brain, a much gentler introduction to the day without any comparisons to others, which can change your mood for the worse instantly.
Social life
I am not definitely an introvert, in fact I need social contact every day to feel okay â it gets me out of my own head and provides another perspective. However, I am much more comfortable with meeting friends in the library for lunch or for a film night than I am going to parties or clubbing. I still do those things, because it is important to stretch myself every now and then, but mostly I just need a quick meet up with people, or a craft night to really get the best social experience without feeling burnt out, and thatâs okay!
Finally, know yourself! University can be a stressful environment sometimes, and the most important thing is to know what works for you to get the most out of your student experience while staying relaxed and happy (most of the time!)