Leaving for college calls for a new set of challenges. This is particularly true for students who are just starting their college life. The transition process from school to college can be extremely difficult to digest. Not only are you, as a student, required to adapt to the complicated world of adulthood, but you are also expected to deal with matters like planning your future, picking the right university course and managing personal relationships. Dealing with these problems can be overwhelming and can contribute to poor mental health if not handled properly.
Here are four ways you can protect your mental health so you can be the best, most productive version of yourself in your college years.
Get counseling
Counseling can be beneficial when having to deal with mental health disorders like depression or anxiety. A counselor or a therapist is a professional trained to help you manage your feelings and help you see your problems from a more open perspective. Visiting a counselor can be helpful as they provide you with greater insight into your daily issues. Eventually, this can help you construct a better judgment and cope with your problems more effectively. If you have deeper psychological trauma that makes you react in certain ways, a counselor can help point that out and cure it.
When it comes to picking a counselor, students can choose from many options. They can either visit their therapist in person or opt for a service like ECounseling in FL, which provides online counseling. As of today, services like this are becoming insanely popular. This is because online counseling allows students to customize their therapy hours as per their free time. It can also be helpful as it cuts out transport costs and saves a lot of time.
Diet and Exercise
College is notorious for sleepless nights and episodes of binging on sugary treats to destress. While eating a pack of your favorite sugar cookies may bring you temporary comfort, it is not the best option for your mental health. According to statistics, eating highly sugary and fatty foods can increase the risk of individuals developing mental health disorders.
For this reason, it is advised to maintain a healthy diet and engage in positive forms of stress relief like exercise and yoga. You don’t have to join the gym and perform a hardcore workout every day. Something as simple as a 30-minute walk can help immensely. As for the diet, try to limit the sugar and opt for healthier alternatives like vegetables and salads. You can start your healthy journey by eating a high-carb breakfast like cereal or oats to keep your energy up and sustained throughout the day.
Make Time for Yourself
When juggling through project deadlines and exam prep, it is easy to feel stressed. You may lose track of time and feel demotivated entirely. At times you might end up doing nothing at all and feeling like a lost cause in general. However, you must remember that while it is important to score well and be on top of your game, it’s not something worth risking your mental or physical health.
Therefore, it is best to pick a day out of your routine just for you. Try to engage in activities like watching a movie or practicing a skincare regime. You can also try taking a bath or partaking in hobbies like writing, dancing or baking. When taking a break, it is important to remember not to feel guilty. We are humans, we get exhausted, and it’s okay for us to want some time for ourselves. Remember to treat yourself like a priority. You can also try to meditate too. This has proven helpful for filtering excessive brain noise and providing you with mental clarity.
Surrounding yourself with supportive friends
When navigating through your college life, there are many different kinds of people you’ll meet. Some of them will become your pals. While it is encouraged to be social and make as many friends as possible, it is best to be careful with the kind of people you let in your life. Only allow good people to enter your circle and refrain from hanging out with people whose goals do not align with yours.
For instance, if you have high academic goals and plan to score top grades to get into the university of your choice, it is best to befriend people with the same aims. If you choose to hang out with lazy people who do nothing but “party,” you will eventually find yourself in the same loop. Supportive friends can also be beneficial when maintaining your sanity. They will help you focus on healthier ways to cope with your mental health instead of encouraging you to try dangerous alternatives like drugs and alcohol.
Final Thoughts
College life offers many new exciting experiences and opportunities. Nonetheless, it is also the one time you are expected to make your own decisions, take care of yourself and live up to expectations. The transition can be difficult for many students, making college students more susceptible to depression and anxiety. By following the tips in this article, you can take care of your mental health and be the most productive and energized version of yourself.