education

Studying under lockdown: how to look after your mental wellbeing

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With the pandemic disrupting our learning, jobs, money and health, it’s no surprise many of us are feeling blue this January. Even without a pandemic, “this time of year is usually challenging for students anyway,” says Gareth Hughes, clinical lead of the advice site Student Space. The following tips won’t make you immune to financial hardship or job worries, but there are ways to ease the pressure.

Acknowledge what’s happening

Emily McIntosh, director of learning, teaching and student experience at Middlesex University, says acknowledging your situation is key. “Life doesn’t always go straightforwardly, but there is a lot of learning in some of the setbacks,” she says, emphasising that setbacks are temporary. And they’re not a personal failing: they happen to everyone.

Staying resilient isn’t about being an optimist, but rather acknowledging things are difficult. Give yourself credit when you keep going, and leeway when you need a break. Hughes underlines that there’ll always be times when you feel angry, sad or unmotivated and that’s OK – it’s normal. Find ways to release discomfort. Talk, sing, cry over sad movies, or whatever works for you.

Build support circles

Schedule time with people that make you feel good. That’s likely to be friends and family, but could be fellow gamers or career networks. McIntosh recommends connecting with course mates, or getting involved in clubs and societies. These often come second to study and career goals, yet they expand your social circle and enhance self development. This is important when an end goal (such as grades or work experience) feels disrupted. The journey has value, too.

Your university will have more structured support, such as counselling or advice sessions. But don’t let worrying about whether your struggles are severe enough hold you back. McIntosh says, they’re “not just for those who are experiencing difficulties. They can often help prevent those difficulties in the first place.”

Hughes, who is a psychotherapist, adds: “I’m perfectly happy that [students are] using the appointment to work out whether they need support.”

Get to know yourself

Reflecting is a way of making sense of and processing difficulties. Many people do this quite naturally when checking in with support circles. Alternatively, try keeping a journal, or even just ask yourself: “What’s happening right now? How do I feel? What can I do to help myself?”

Apps like Headspace and Calm introduce and help grow the habit, while you could get Fika free via your university. Even if these techniques aren’t for you, many resources include sleep stories to help you switch off or fall asleep. Regular, restful sleep helps you to manage your mood.

Find new purpose

Goal-setting is good for wellbeing but if you’re not feeling robust, take a break from life goals and challenges. McIntosh frames it as: “What can I do in the next few days, next few weeks and few months?” It could be a bit of admin that needs to get done, or some self care. Even getting dressed every day can be a positive goal when you feel low.

Daily habits are good for routine. Aim to start each day with a walk, for example, though any kind of physical activity is beneficial. Hughes recommends getting outdoors, as exposure to sunlight can boost mood. Learning new skills, sports or hobbies is another option, especially if they are unconnected with your course or career. Anything you can get absorbed in can help the mind feel refreshed or reinvigorated.

And if you’re up to it, voluntary work or helping others can bring benefits back to you. It’s a form of distraction, yet can help you find meaning or perspective when things feel bleak.

Ultimately, finding purpose and making plans are strategies that work because they acknowledge that life goes on. “It’s important to remember that January will end, the spring will come. There will be an end of the pandemic.” Hughes says. “We don’t know when, but it will happen and it’s important not to lose sight of that.”

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