Let’s Talk about Mental Health!
Talking from experiences, I know us, students, can get easily overwhelmed. Not only once but regularly. Stress is not only bad but it can be also a good motivator if you’re in control of it and it’s not long-lasting. There are a few tips that I would have for you as I experienced a lot of stress myself due to different factors in my life.
It is important for you to take care of your mental health while being in school/uni. In this case, finding the right balance is key. You may cause a variety of problems and issues which could lower your productivity, focus, and overall efficiency in classes if you ignore your mental health.
This is why you should start and try out these useful tips:
- BE ACTIVE
Exercising leads to a happier mood. Here, endorphins are released into your body, along with dopamine and serotonin. Being active boosts your mood, suppresses pain, and gives you a feeling of reward. You should create an exercise routine and it doesn’t matter what you do. You can go for a walk every day, bike, go to the gym a few times a week, and more. All this can also help you sleep better, have more energy during the day, and concentrate better on school stuff.
2. GET GOOD SLEEP
You need to give your brain some rest and sleep the seven to eight hours each night. If not, you begin to feel tired, overwhelmed, and worn down. Your body is not able to produce enough serotonin, dopamine, and other chemicals when you lack of sleep keeping stress, anxiety, and depression away.
So turn off all technological devices before going to sleep and try to read a book maybe for about 30 min. This helped me a lot!
3. EAT HEALTHY
What you put into your body, will affect your mood. It’s a fact.
“The healthier the food and drinks you consume, the better regulated your mood will be and the better your body will be able to release the chemicals that make you feel good.” — The Haven at College
I had my moments when I ate badly for a few days which gave me quickly a bad feeling and I was craving healthy food like fruits and veggies. If you start eating healthy regularly you will also crave healthy food like me.
4. AVOID DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
Drugs and alcohol are a part of the school/uni life. Every one of us tried some substances at least once to feel good, meet new people more easily, and have a good time. But you don’t need these to relax! These are keeping you from relaxing and creating problems, not solving them.
Avoiding drugs and alcohol can prevent hangovers, being late for class, sleep issues, and making a fool of yourself. There are so many different things you can do to have fun without them like extracurricular activities, hobbies, etc.
5. REWARD YOURSELF
Rewarding yourself for all your hard work is a very good tip to improve your mental health. There are a few things that prove that you are doing a great job like recognizing your value and worth, reaching the goals you set, or accomplishing difficult tasks (just some examples).
But what does rewarding yourself mean? It means doing something nice for yourself because you have earned it and you deserve it. Feeling proud and confident about your progress can motivate you remarkably. Set a new goal between each reward and when that goal is reached, reward yourself again. You can do this on repeat and take it with you into life after school/uni.
6. QUIET YOUR MIND
Try meditation, yoga, or tai-chi. Mindfulness and/or prayer. These are some possible things which help you to improve your state of mind and outlook on life. In fact, it helped me to feel calm and enhanced the effects of therapy.
7. BUILD A SUPPORT NETWORK
Building a supportive network can help you in times whenever you feel lost or overwhelmed. Being able to reach out to others for help has an immensely positive impact on your mental health. Or just being a part of someone else’s support network might help you too. At some point, every college student feels overwhelmed, stressed, or confused in their student life.
People you could reach out to are professors, friends, family members, your counselor, and anyone else you feel can help you at this point.
8. FIND HELP — TALK TO A COUNSELOR
Having a meeting with a counselor/campus counselor does not have much recognition as it should. For example, you could learn some stress management techniques, how to calm yourself before an exam, and/or how to overcome other issues you may be facing. It brings only some benefits with itself. But you need to build on trust with the counselor and talk openly about what is on your mind.
Literature:
University Health Service. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://uhs.umich.edu/tenthings
7 Mental Health Tips for College Students. (2019). Retrieved from https://thehavenatcollege.com/mental-health-tips-for-college-students/
