Uni life can be incredible: a chance to make new friends, experience new things, and make your first steps as an independent adult. But if we’re honest, it’s a lot, and sometimes it can feel like too much, too fast. Deadlines creep up, sleep patterns disappear into the ether, and your laundry pile starts to resemble the Matterhorn. Staying on top of anything, let alone all of it, can be stressful, and drives a lot of students to drop out after a term or less. In order to keep this from happening to you, it’s beneficial to have a few rules in mind.
Don’t wait until it gets too much
It’s tempting to listen to people telling you to power through and crash later, but pushing that crash further into the future only ensures it will be bigger when it comes. Build in periods of relaxation so that the need never becomes too great. Little things like seeking out some alone time to just chill between lectures, keeping a full water bottle in your bag, and scheduling time for chores like laundry and spring cleaning are essential.
Have a wind-down routine and toolkit
Everyone needs a way to switch off and save their mental resources. Note that this should not involve scrolling for two hours; what once seemed like a nice way to pass the time has increasingly become a portal of doom. Instead, build a decompression menu that you can dip into to just give your brain a break. Stream something easy and possibly nostalgic, go for a walk, make toast, vape, or read a deep dive on something obscure that you like. Whatever makes you feel more human is valid here.
Keep meals frequent and simple
You don’t need to become Nigella Lawson, but you will have more free time as a student than you are used to, and it doesn’t hurt to take advantage of that so you can eat well and often. Simple, ten-minute dishes are fine: beans on toast; stir-fries; noodles with whatever protein you can lay your hands on. It’s not uncommon to miss meals as a student because the structure you were used to has gone away, but it isn’t a good idea. Nutrients are non-negotiable. It’s also a good idea to drink water with electrolyte tablets, keeping you hydrated and topped up on minerals.
Speak up
If you’re finding uni overwhelming, speak to someone. It’s easy to catastrophise and think you can’t do this: pretty much every student feels like this at least once even if they don’t show it. There is a support structure there for you to avail of, so avail of it. Whether it be speaking to a tutor or a counselling service, or spilling to a friend, it can put things in perspective and get you over the hurdle. It’s easy to feel isolated and think nobody cares or wants to help – but you’d be surprised how quickly things can turn around when you speak up.
Sleep
There is a reason that students burning the candle at both ends is a cliche; there is also a reason that students sleeping in until 5pm is a cliche. Neither is a great idea, especially in your first term when staying in bed can see you miss what little natural light there is. You don’t need to be early to bed, early to rise – but establishing something of a sleep pattern so you’re awake in time for lectures is beneficial for your mental health, and it makes coping with this new life a lot easier.
