Ways to Manage Mental Health During College Years
Everyone has been adjusting to a “new normal” since the COVID-19 outbreak sent students throughout the country home in early March. This is uncharted territory for all of us, and we’re all dealing with it in our unique way.
It is more critical than ever to consider mental health for students. Here are some tips to take care of your mental health.
Keep an eye on how you’re feeling
Self-monitoring and being honest with yourself about feelings are important elements in maintaining your mental health. Only you know what is normal for you regarding behaviour and feelings and what is out of the ordinary for you. Don’t hesitate to ask for help and talk to someone about how you feel if you find you’re more sad, upset, or worried than usual.
Accepting your current situation
It’s also crucial to recognize that your experiences at this period will be different from those of others. Be aware that everyone reacts to stress differently, and you may not be in the same emotional state as your friends, family, or classmates. Avoid comparing your situation to that of others. Instead, concentrate on accepting your existing situation and in the future. Even though they appear to have it all together, you never know what others are going through behind closed doors. It’s fine that we all deal with our emotions in different ways.
Make daily living and hygiene a priority
Maintaining and improving your mental health requires putting your physical health first. Take care of yourself physically, and you’ll probably notice a difference in your mental state as well. Make a conscious effort to ensure that you are properly caring for your body. Getting enough sleep, eating properly, staying hydrated, and exercising are just a few examples. Everybody’s body is different, so pay attention to yours and figure out what balance of these factors works best for you.
Create a habit
If you’ve never been one to follow a routine before, now is the time to start. A schedule can help you build a sense of normalcy and relieve some of the anxiety associated with the unknown. While we all have ways of managing our calendars, the new normal may necessitate a greater level of focus to ensure you meet deadlines while also prioritizing self-care.
Cooking a nutritious meal before class, for example, or getting in an exercise before starting your day could be part of your morning routine. You can also plan aside time in your calendar to catch up with friends and family, which will help you fill in the gaps between classes, clubs, and homework. Incorporating some relaxation exercises, such as deep breathing or meditation, into your evening routine will help you fall and stay asleep.
Make friends with others
While we are all more cut off from the rest of the world than we were before the pandemic, that doesn’t mean we can’t communicate with those we care about. Thanks to social media, texting, and video conferencing, it’s easier than ever to keep in touch with someone online. Make it a habit to regularly interact with your friends, family, and significant others, even if it’s only sending a quick text to see how they’re doing. While you may feel physically alone, remember that your loved ones are only a phone call or video chat away.
Take a break from social media
During a pandemic, social media can become overwhelming due to the ongoing news cycle. Most of us have made it a habit to check our phones frequently during the day, but we rarely consider how this constant stream of information can affect our mental health. Put your phone down and spend some time outside, being aware, or doing a pastime that you enjoy to recharge and unwind. This is particularly critical at night. Turn off all screens approximately an hour before you want to go to sleep.
Be gentle with yourself
Whether you are on campus or taking this semester, consider that college life will not be the same as it was before. Whatever our new normal looks like for you, we’ll all have to adjust and cope with it. Don’t be too hard on yourself if readjusting to life as a student takes some time. Adapting is a process that takes time and occurs at varied rates for each of us.
If you’re worried about the fall, remember that worrying is healthy and that it would be unusual not to have some concerns and fears about the future at this time. Worries are a natural part of being human; they are part of our fight-or-flight reaction, designed to keep us safe and help us survive. We’re all in this together, dealing with difficult emotions and situations to varying degrees and progressing at our paces.
If you need further assistance with your classes this semester, we recommend that you visit the Centre for Academic Success, which provides both in-person and online resources. Peer tutoring, extra education, writing fellow’s sessions, workshops, and teach specialist services are among the services offered.
The Specialized Resource Centre is a resource for students, teachers, and the College community at large if you have a handicap, including those caused by accident or surgery. It works to guarantee that all students have equal access to educational opportunities by allowing them to participate fully in all parts of campus life.
Seek help if you need it
It is critical that we de-stigmatize getting mental health help at all times, but especially now. If you need assistance, there is no shame in asking for it, and there are options available to you. If you need to talk to someone, whether on or off-campus, you are invited to visit the Counselling Centre, which is still open to work with students throughout COVID-19. It is not open for walk-in appointments, but it does provide support over the phone and through a HIPAA-compliant video call. Virtual learning over traditional learning
Conclusions:
Create healthy habits: Arrange stress relief, physical activity, and good nutrition in the same way you schedule lectures and homework.
Deep breathing, mindfulness, thankfulness, and transforming negative thoughts into positive ones are all good things to practice.
Find counselling services, a primary care practitioner, and a drugstore through your school’s wellness resources.
Participate in campus life, meet new people, and form meaningful relationships. Take the experts help for your assignments
If the solutions mentioned above don’t work and you still can’t relax, feel anxious, or unhappy, you should never feel ashamed to seek professional help.
About Author:
Everett Brooks is a contributing writer to LiveWebTutors. He is a podcaster, style coach and has been a blogger and a professional blogger writing about educational skills, personal development, and motivation since 2010. He operates a team of experts and qualified professionals who provide high-quality Essay writing help for Australian students.
