Mental health at university is something that is very often talked about in the periphery, but is usually not enough to give students the information they need. This is especially true for students (like myself) from countries where the term only applies to institutionalisable insanity.
We tend to forget that stress from studies or from home, sleeping habits, eating habits and a balanced social life are all factors that can affect our mental well-being. With that in mind, here is a basic guide to having good mental health.
- Don’t be afraid to talk about it
Since we consider stress to be part and parcel of university life, we are usually not willing to consider sharing what we think are minor anxieties with anyone. My advice is to open up to someone. They could be back home or at university, a peer or an adult, a friendly ear or a professional – just don’t hold it in.
- Realise that there are many different types of mental health issues
We are not professional healthcare workers, even those studying the relevant field. Therefore, it would be unwise of us to try and assume we know everything about mental health and diagnose ourselves. There are so many people I have met who think depression is just feeling sad as opposed to something that inhibits your daily functions, without realising that they might need to seek help about it. Go find out about these things, even if you don’t think you have them.
- Don’t listen to “horror stories”
While it is absolutely true that university student services can improve on a range of things, it is no reason to avoid using them. Whether seeking professional help through counselling, talking to your personal tutor or hall warden, or approaching the Students’ Union with problems, you should not let someone else’s experience put you off. Also, remember that not everything works for everyone. You might find counselling to be the perfect fit for you whereas your closest friend might have hated it. Try it before judging, and don’t discourage others from doing the same.
- Be sensible with routines
University is usually the first time we are away from home and the freedom of doing whatever we want can get to our heads. While you are obviously at liberty to adjust things like mealtimes to suit your personal needs, it is important to maintain some sort of regularity with food and sleep. Make sure you schedule in some daily downtime too; studying all day is not the way to success.
- Be active
Exercise might not be your favourite word to hear, but it is necessary to maintain good health, both physically and mentally. Luckily, universities have a wide range of options available to do this. Apart from things like sports and gym facilities, UK universities offer activities like various dance societies, rock climbing, jogging groups and even Quidditch to keep you active. Pick one you enjoy and stick to it. It’s an excellent way to make friends too.
At the end of the day, these are just a few simple steps to maintaining good mental health and it still comes down to you seeking what works best for you and having the support you need. But these are a good start.
Have you got any more tips on mental health at university? Let us know in the comments below.
Photo: www.audio-luci-store.it / Flickr
PhD Politics student from Bangladesh, writing on the British Empire and its creation of the utopian/dystopian binary. Sees a lot wrong with the world and tries to contribute to their solutions. Or at the very least rants about them.
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