If you’re a new student starting college for the first time, or a returning student, there are things that you can do now at the start of the year that can help your mental health now and for the rest of the year.
If you are a new student, it might be that you don’t know anybody on campus. That’s okay. Getting to know new people can feel overwhelming, or make us feel a bit anxious, but being socially connected can be good for our mental health. Clubs and societies can be a great way to meet new people who have similar interests to you. Or you could challenge yourself to say hello to someone sitting next to you in a class or a lecture. Keep in contact with your friends outside of college if you can, even if you’re not seeing them as much as you used to.
Whether you are a new or returning student coming back to college can involve a lot of changes in routine and surroundings, in expectations and in pressures. It’s okay to take a step back if you need to. While being socially connected is important, so too is making sure that you don’t over commit and end up burned out. Take things one step at a time, and say no to things if it will help.
Self-care is a term that’s got a little bit of a bad rep at times. But it is something that’s really important to our mental health. When we say self-care, we don’t just mean getting your nails done or taking a bubble bath. Although those things can be part of self-care, we mean the boring stuff, but the vital stuff. Making sure that you eat enough nutritious food to fuel your body, keeping yourself hydrated, getting enough sleep, and keeping up any sports or hobbies that you enjoy as much as you can, are all going to help keep you mentally healthy. Going for a run is not going to cure a mental illness by itself. But by keeping up good habits around minding our bodies and minds, it can help us be in the best possible place to help ourselves if we do have struggles with our mental health. You can find more information on self-care here.
It’s always a good idea to find out where your on-campus counseling service is and how to make an appointment with them. It might be that you’ll never need it. But if you do, it’s good to have that kind of information ready to hand. Find out who your welfare officer is within the Students’ Union and how you can contact them too, they’re a really good source of information and help; not just around mental health.
If you have a diagnosed mental illness, it might be that you’re entitled to accommodations, so check in with the disability office on campus to find out more about that. Many campuses provide mental health support through online providers as well as through the counseling service through services like Togetherall, Silvercloud or Nightline. Find out what supports are available on your campus. As I said, it might be that you never need it. But maybe a friend or someone you know does need it and you’ll be able to give them that information. All of the information around what services are available on your campus or can be found on social media, on the college website or through your Students’ Union.
The number one most important thing though, is that if you are struggling with your mental health in any way, get help and get it as early as possible. There is no shame in having mental health problems. You deserve help. And you don’t need to wait until you’re in a crisis to get help. To access mental health help on campus is free. You don’t need a doctor’s referral. And you don’t need a diagnosable mental illness.
There is lots of information on the AMLÉ Mental Health website, including sources of help and guidance on getting help or giving help to your friends. Keep an eye out for information and campaigns from your Students’ Union and AMLÉ around mental health throughout the year and get engaged if you can.
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