Going to university

Students can experience struggles with all aspects of emotional and mental health. These range from difficulties in managing stress, change and pressure, right through to more serious mental illness and mood disorders.

Managing student stress

Finding your independence is one of the best things of university life, but it can come with its fair share of stress. Study goals, money trouble, living away from home – these can all play on your mind.

What causes student stress?

Student stress can be caused by a number of factors, including:

struggling with your mental health
loneliness, homesickness or relationship difficulties
finding it hard to save money or deal with debt
not knowing how to balance work and study
worrying about revising for exams
struggling with writing essays or dissertations
feeling unsure about what to do after graduation
harmful use of, or withdrawal from, alcohol or drugs.

There are a number of common reactions to stressful circumstances such as these, including:
Behavioural – these could involve avoiding or escaping from the situation and turning to alcohol or drugs, a change in appetite or an inability to concentrate.
Physical – you may experience an increased heart rate, sweating, shaking, headaches, butterflies and over-breathing.
Psychological – stress can lead to fear, panic and the feeling that something bad is going to happen.

Coping mechanisms

Exercise
This doesn’t have to be a gruelling gym session – you simply need to get your heart racing, for example by going for a brisk walk or a bike ride.
Exercise releases endorphins, it makes us feel good. We feel great following doing some exercise and it also often goes hand in hand with other positive steps towards good mental health, such as spending time with other people or time outdoors.

If you’d like to get moving but are struggling for ideas see what schemes are available at your univeresity and get involved with clubs and groups. There’s usually a huge amount of different activities on offer from hiking to dancing, football to boxing and martial arts to yoga.

Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a popular way to deal with tackling stress or anxiety. It can significantly lower stress levels.

When we are stressed our minds sometimes behave in ways that hold us back rather than help. Rather than going over a problem over and over again, take time out to focus your mind on something relaxing and positive.

Talking to someone
Accepting that you need help and talking to someone is often the first step to feeling better.

Speak to your friends and family – they know you best and care about you the most. Going out somewhere with a friend just once a week can reduce your stress levels and improve your mood.

Visit a friend and tell them about the problems you are facing and then tell them about the good things in your life, ask them to help you work through it. Sharing difficulties can help. However, going over and over them often doesn’t and is likely to make your friend switch off, so ask them to listen first and then help you to get a different angle on things.

Talk to other students on your course and you will probably find that you’re not alone. This can help put things in perspective. Ask them what techniques they use to manage stress.

Alternatively, make an appointment with your student wellbeing service. The majority of universities have these and they should be your first port of call if you’re worried, stressed or upset about anything. They’ll provide a listening ear and can signpost you to specialist services who can offer specific support if needed. While wellbeing services don’t provide counselling support, most universities offer free counselling and support groups. Sessions tackle wide-ranging themes, from surviving freshers’ week to coping with post-Christmas exam stress.

Time management
People often get stressed when they feel that they’re running out of time to complete a task – this could be study or work related or even come from feeling overwhelmed with social activities. However, simple time management techniques can help you to feel more relaxed and focused.

Try creating a written schedule, breaking your tasks down into manageable chunks, planning and allocating yourself time every day to relax or spend time with friends. Divide your work into urgent and non-urgent tasks, and important and non-important tasks.

Getting enough sleep
Taking time to relax before you go to sleep can help the quality of your sleep. Try to go to sleep at the same time and wake up at the same time each day. Seven to eight hours is recommended – we know this is not always easy to do if you are working part-time or have planned a night out, so don’t worry if it’s not the same time every night.

Stress can change your sleeping pattern so try to do everything you can to relax yourself before going to bed. Take a bath to wind down, watch your favourite TV show or sit quietly and read.

Avoid screen time as much as possible and switch off laptops, phones and tablets at least an hour before going to sleep.

If you study in the same room you sleep in, cover your books and desk with a sheet or a screen.

Other stress-busting methods

Take your mind off it. Do something you enjoy and that will distract you for a while like listening to music, reading, baking or crafts.
Eat healthily and consume fresh foods.
Change your mind set and adopt a positive attitude.
Take a break from social media. Comparing yourself and your productivity to others is a recipe for disaster.
Laugh. Laughing out load actually increases oxygen and blood flow, which immediately reduces stress. Spend time with a funny friend, watch something silly or book tickets to the local comedy club.

If you’ve tried all these coping strategies but can’t conquer the cycle of stress, it’s a good idea to visit your GP to check that the symptoms you are experiencing are in fact stress related, and that there are no underlying issues.

How to balance work and study

The rising cost of university means that students are turning to part-time work to pay the bills – discover how to hold down a job without letting your degree suffer.

How you can benefit from part time work

While many students work to top up their loans and earn spare cash, that’s not the sole benefit of finding a part-time job.

Having a part-time job can be very rewarding, both financially and socially if you have moved away from home and can help improve your CV.

Make sure you can fit it in your busy schedule

Before you apply for any part-time job, you should first think about your timetable. Shops are busiest in November and December, and you may be given lots of extra shifts. This could be perfect for you – but not if you have lots of essays due or exams to revise for.

Be honest about the amount of work you can take on. Employers needing staff to cover shifts during term time often take advantage of eager students who need the money, and will often expect part-time employees to be flexible and work more hours during busy periods. Even if you’re willing to do this, highlight when your lectures are, as well as coursework deadlines and exams.

While it’s important to be careful when taking on extra responsibilities, part-time work can be a great addition to your schedule – motivating you to stay productive throughout the day. For instance, if you have a shift in the afternoon or evening, you’ll need to wake up earlier to study in the morning.

Planning your time effectively

Taking on the extra responsibility of a part-time job won’t make doing well in your degree impossible, but you’ll need to be organised and have good time management to make it happen.

Also, don’t try to stay on top of your workload by memory alone. Buy a diary or planner and write down all shifts, lectures, seminars and outside commitments. You can use it as visual tool of your time, helping you to stay organised and fit everything in.

If you ever do find that you’re working too much, talk to your manager and ask whether it’s possible to reduce your hours. Ultimately, your health, wellbeing and degree should come first.

Money-saving tips for students

It’s important to keep track of your spending. Create a spreadsheet of your finances so you can see how much you have to spend each month. Include your income from student loans, scholarships and bursaries, any parental contributions and part-time jobs, as well as regular outgoings such as your rent and mobile phone.

Be smart with food shopping

You’ll need to be smart with food shopping. Do a cost-effective ‘big shop’ at the start of each week and keep the number of takeaways you have to a minimum. Buy supermarket value products rather than well-known brands, and shop at the end of the day when many items have the prices reduced. Share the cooking with your housemates and plan your meals in advance. You’ll save money by making packed lunches rather than buying a sandwich or going to a coffee shop.

Don’t overpay for transport

Banking

The way you bank as a student can make budgeting effortless and even earn you extra money. Here’s how to make the most of what’s on offer:

Don’t just stick with your current bank – All high street banks offer dedicated student bank accounts, so it’s worth shopping around. Choosing wisely can help you to save money with freebies and discounts, pay less for borrowing in an emergency or if you overspend. Regularly compare offers, and switch banks if you need to, in order to take advantage of the best deals.

An overdraft typically beats freebies – Having an overdraft in place means the bank won’t charge you fees if you overspend. With a student account, you won’t pay to get an overdraft and the money borrowed won’t accumulate interest like with some regular accounts. If you don’t have savings or family support, a student overdraft means money to fall back on, plus you may save more on fees and interest than with freebies like railcards and gift vouchers. You’ll only benefit from an overdraft by sticking to the terms – keep to the limit and always repay what you borrow on time.

Have more than one bank account – Student accounts come with decent extras so you can only have one at a time. That doesn’t mean you can’t have other bank accounts. You could put your student loan and wages in one account, then transfer money to a separate account for paying bills and direct debits. Your savings can be held by another bank if it offers better interest rates or cash bonuses. As long as you meet the account conditions, there’s no reason you can’t mix-and-match.

Use lazy saving to save cash – This is an easy way to save for holidays, emergencies or anything else you might need cash for in the future as your bank or savings app does everything automatically. With an auto-saving, round-up or save-the-change function whenever you pay with your debit card, the amount is rounded up to the nearest pound and the extra few pennies are moved into a savings or side account. A growing number of digital banks and independent apps now offer auto-savings functions, which securely work with existing accounts.

Use credit cards wisely – Taking out credit to spend more than you have should only be used when it’s the cheapest means of borrowing. 0% credit cards are a bit like student overdrafts in that you won’t have to pay interest on the money borrowed. Some cards give cashback on spending so by using one specialist card this can result in a decent refund at the end of the year. Again, the only way to benefit from credit cards is to stick to the conditions. Once you start paying interest, fees or penalty charges, your credit effectively costs you more.

Dealing with debt

With a low income and tight budget, it’s hardly surprising that many students run into debt. The strain of owing money not only has a negative impact on your mental wellbeing, it can also affect your academic studies. To get debt free, follow these steps:

Don’t panic – Seek help as early as possible as your situation may be quickly resolved with the right guidance. Don’t let letters or emails pile up. Open and deal with all correspondence to make sure that you’re clued up on your finances. Keep all correspondence in case you need to produce these at a later date. Family, friends, university services and outside agencies won’t be able to help if you’re not honest about, or aware of, the extent of your problems.

Prioritise your debts – Separate your priority from your non-priority debts. Your priority debts include rent or mortgage arrears, utility bills such as gas and electricity, income tax, TV licence and court fines. The non-payment of these debts can directly affect your wellbeing, as you could lose your home or have essential supplies cut off. Your non-priority debts cover bank overdrafts or loans, credit or store cards, unsecured personal loans and money borrowed from friends or family. While it’s still important to clear these debts and take them seriously, penalties for not paying are generally less severe.

Talk to people – While being in debt may feel isolating, don’t suffer in silence. Share your money worries with family and friends as they can offer moral, if not financial, support. University student services are also there to offer help and advice, as student money advisers can often provide one-to-one support. Don’t feel embarrassed about your debts.

Take control of your finances – After receiving professional advice, specialist university advisers can check your entitlement to statutory student support. Most universities also have hardship funds to help students facing a change in circumstance or unexpected financial problems. Set yourself a realistic budget to avoid getting into further debt and start repaying priority debts as soon as possible. Budgeting means cutting back on social and leisure spending, so be prepared to make this change. There’s lots you can do to maximise your income – like considering a part-time job.

Tackle existing debts – Draw up a financial statement containing details of your current circumstances, including all incomings and outgoings. Outline all unpaid debts and repayments due. If you have any available income, calculate how much you can afford to repay each month and apportion this among priority creditors. Write to your creditors proposing a new repayment offer. Attach a copy of your financial statement and make them aware of any exceptional circumstances that affect you meeting the previously agreed repayments. You can request that creditors freeze the interest on any debts while you renegotiate terms. Avoid using quick-fix, pay-day loans at all costs.

Homesickness

Leaving your home, family, friends and all that’s familiar to move to university would be a big deal for anyone – however, there are steps you can take to ease the feeling of homesickness.

What is homesickness?

Homesickness is a feeling of stress or anxiety caused by separation from people and places that you know. Leaving home to go to university is a very common cause of this.

It can affect anybody – whether you’re a home or international student. It doesn’t matter whether your university is just a few miles from your hometown, or on the other side of the world.

Homesickness occurs most frequently at the start of the academic year, however in some cases, some students adjust to life at university a lot more quickly, but experience these feelings of homesickness after a month or so – as the reality of university starts to sink in. It’s also common to be homesick in the weeks following the Christmas holidays, after spending quality time with friends and family back home.

Fortunately, homesickness is usually a short-term issue. According to the National Union of Students (NUS), while it typically affects 50-70% of students during their first few months at university, most students’ symptoms fade after their third week.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of homesickness include:

a disturbed sleeping pattern
feeling angry, nauseous, nervous or sad
feeling isolated, lonely or withdrawn
feeling overwhelmed, insecure, anxious or panicky
feelings of low self-esteem or self-worth
headaches
a lack of appetite or concentration.

How to cope with home sickness

Homesickness can lead to issues such as depression, so it’s important that you confront it. However, always remember that it’s perfectly normal to miss familiar surroundings and struggle to adapt to new ones – feeling homesick isn’t a weakness or something to be embarrassed about.

The most reliable way to beat homesickness is to immerse yourself in university life, even though this can be daunting at first.

A great way to meet like-minded people is to join clubs. It’s also a good idea to visit places of interest in your new town or city and get involved in local events.

Even when you need to do something on your own, such as a piece of coursework, try to get out of your room. For example, study in the library or take your laptop to a coffee shop. Being among other people will help you feel less isolated.

Exercising, eating well and regulating your sleeping pattern are also essential.

In addition, it’s important that you manage your relationship with home. Regular contact with friends and family is important, but at the same time you need to give yourself space to focus on your new life. Constant phone calls or social media messaging will keep the negative feelings there for longer.

If you’re homesick at the start of term, it may be tempting to head straight back home at the weekend. However, you need to use this time to get to know your new surroundings and meet new people. Instead, plan a visit home for a few weeks’ time, so that you can look forward to it while making the most of your first weeks at university.

Don’t be down if being a student isn’t immediately the amazing experience you were expecting – that will come in time as you settle in.

You should avoid:

bottling up your feelings
locking yourself away in your room
rejecting opportunities to meet new people
failing to attend lectures and seminars
drinking alcohol more than you normally would.

How do I look after my mental health at university?

There are plenty of things you can do to look after your mental health while studying.

Some things to try:

Eat as healthily as possible and exercise regularly – healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive and just 20 to 30 minutes of exercise a day can help.
Make sure you’re getting enough sleep – with impending deadlines and nights out it’s unlikely you’ll get the recommended eight hours but where possible try to establish a sleeping pattern.
Keep your living space tidy – it’s hard to focus when you’re living in a jumble so de-clutter, tidy away mess and open windows to let the fresh air in.
Don’t take too much on – you don’t have to say yes to every social activity or study group. Make time to relax and do something you enjoy.
Set achievable goals – mental health struggles can make simple tasks feel overwhelming so don’t overload yourself.
Keep in touch – this may feel hard but it is important to keep social connections
Drink sensibly – alcohol is a depressant so keep a check on your consumption levels.
Join a club or society – spending time with like-mined people doing something you enjoy can be a great mood-booster. It can also provide a sense of community and friendship, which is great if you’re feeling lonely or homesick.
Download some apps – there are lots of apps that can help with your mental health
Find outlets that work for you – this could be running, baking, arts and crafts or writing – whatever makes you feel better
Seek support early – don’t leave it until you’re at crisis point

What help is available

Your universities wellbeing service is an excellent place to start.

Wellbeing teams can provide a listening ear and can signpost you to the most appropriate services such as appointments with dedicated mental health advisers, drop-in counselling or mindfulness sessions and support groups. To find out what support is available at your university contact student services or look on their website.

Outside of university try:
Your GP – if you’re worried about your mental health visit your GP.

The Samaritans – if you feel you need immediate help, call 116 123, any time of day.
Family and friends – talking about your struggles can be a huge relief. Don’t feel like a burden, your family and friends want to help.

Signs you may need some help

There’s lots of help out there, both inside and outside your university, so you should never suffer in silence. The first step to accessing this help is admitting that you’re struggling.

These are some of the signs to look out for:

Disengaging from university and other activities and commitments – you may struggle to engage with your student work, peers and tutors.

Socially withdrawing – becoming more isolated and not looking after yourself.

Problems with motivation and concentration.

Changes in eating and sleeping patterns.

Indulging in addictive behaviours or taking unnecessary risks – such as using drugs or alcohol.

Physical symptoms such as headaches, digestive issues and physical pain – there’s a strong connection between the mind and body.

Low mood or increased irritability.

Lack of energy and motivation.

Constantly feeling tearful, angry or on edge.

Avoiding certain situations.

This isn’t a checklist of symptoms and students who are struggling may experience all, some or none of the above. If you feel low, regardless of your symptoms reach out and seek help.

Why it is important to look after your mental health at university

Students are particularly vulnerable to mental health struggles as they’re often living away from home and dealing with the stresses of adult life for the first time.

Good mental health allows us to adapt and effectively manage the changes and stresses that come, not only with university life, but day-to-day life.

Mental health and wellbeing impacts on our ability to engage with the world around us. It affects the way we think and feel, as well as how we behave. Therefore, looking after your mental health and wellbeing is one of the best things you can do, for you.

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