Feeling like a stressed out student? Take comfort that you are not alone. With all the studying, exams, work deadlines and summer job it’s possible you’ll reach student burnout at some point while at university. Your student days can be a difficult transition period and a sad time of isolation and loneliness. You can’t always feel at the top of your game.
If you have a part time job you’ll find yourself trying to manage your studying and job which can pile on the workload. You may also be suffering from motivational issues, money worries, relationship problems and feel like you don’t have time to relax.
Becoming a university student is a big change and adjustment in your life. At times when it’s all on top of you, heading out of control and you’re stressing about your future career our generation can feel lost, lonely and borderline depressed. At night when you can’t afford to go out and there’s nothing to do apart from working, studying and rubbish TV things can overload us.
During the first year or random periods throughout your degree you’ll probably feel homesick. Here is my advice for homesick students. I’ve not posted for a month or so because I’ve lacked energy and felt overwhelmed suffering from work and student burnout. Sometimes stress and pressure is a necessary thing to motivate and increase performance, too much extreme stress leads to misery and exhaustion.
Remember you are not alone, life has its ups and downs. We all suffer from low moods, stress, anxiety and 1 in 4 of us will go through mental health problems in our lifetime.
At times of increased stress and emotional trouble it’s important youth people get the support and advice they need. Discuss how you feel with friends, family, talk to Student Services or your student union that offer welfare support. If you are feeling depressed then visit the doctor and explain how you feel to them.
It’s frustrating not feeling like yourself or like you don’t have time to look after your own wellbeing. A student’s life isn’t always easy, many people stereotype students, thinking our lives involve partying and shagging.
Please be careful and try to balance the mix of “business and pleasure”. You may be working too hard and need to slow down and find ways to manage your student stress.
If you don’t reducing student stress you’ll soon reach the tipping point and burnout will overwhelm you. If you are feeling run down try the following ways to decrease your stress levels and ease the burden of a student life:
- Get yourself as organised as possible. Plan a timetable and schedule for studying, work, socialising and relaxation time.
- Too much working and rushing around will create more anxiety. Make some fun time and break up your study periods to help increase productivity.
- Your student lifestyle may not be helping your anxiety and stress. Eat healthier food, cut down on alcohol and make sure you are getting enough sleep.
- Going for a walk in the fresh air and taking regular exercise can help improve your mood and relive stress. You can also try some meditation and breathing techniques.
- Learn to switch off from the world now and then. Have some rest bite from gadgets, gaming, social media, email, texting and phone calls. It’s not healthy to be switched on and plugged in 24 hours a day, everyone needs some peace and quiet.
- Listen to your favourite music or chill out anthems can help settle down your mood and calm your nerves. Playing some tracks will help you get through those stressful student days.
- Watch some comedy films or DVD’s to loosen up and laugh out loud. Your student days should be the happiest time of your life so soak it up and don’t take it too seriously.
- Stop comparing yourself to other students, friends and relatives. Life’s too short for constant competition with peers and celebrities. You can’t live your life in the shadow of others so stop trying to measure up and meet everyone else’s expectations.
- Sex is a great way to de-stress and release “happy chemicals”. Human touch is a relieving joy so find a sex buddy to hug, kiss and practice safe sex with.
Remember being a student isn’t permanent and your student stress won’t last forever. When life is on top of you that is a clue for us to take some timeout for ourselves and relax – do nothing – it will be OK.
Organisations that can help:
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Studenthealth/Pages/Studenthealthhome.aspx
http://www.studentminds.org.uk/