College Mental Health
Managing the transition to college life is difficult and we often don’t realize it until the excitement of the fall semester has worn off and the cold weather has set it. Renegotiating what your life looks like in these moments can be tricky, how do you balance your social life with your school work and still keep in contact with your friends and family back home. These are often the times when we start to see anxious thoughts and depression start to creep in. So how do we manage these situations?
1) Get Organized
Often when things seem overwhelming it can help us to create a list of the things we need to get done. Once we’ve identified the tasks we can create a plan for how to use our time.
2) Meet Your Basic Needs
When we get overwhelmed our basic needs are often the first thing we ignore while also being a big factor in keeping us feeling down. Create time to eat, sleep, drink water, and move your body. Start small and give yourself achievable goals. If you aren’t drinking enough water, start by making it your goal to drink one more glass a day. This isn’t a race.
3) Connect with Others
We are social creatures but often when we get wrapped up in the demands of school we forget to reach out to our support system. Find some time to spend with your friends and family.
4) Engage in Self Care
I don’t mean to light a candle and take a bath, though that can be it if you want. Find time for you to engage in activities that bring you joy and recharge your body. Spend time outside, playing games, going for a walk, reading a book, whatever it is for you.
5)Give Yourself Grace
Sometimes when it feels like too much we start to be hard on ourselves for not doing it all. You can’t do everything and you can’t do it all to your best ability when you’re feeling burnt out. Identify the activities or tasks that are a must and allow yourself to take a break during the other moments.
6) Watch How You Talk to Yourself
When we get too busy we often ignore what is going on inside our heads. Pay attention to the way you are engaging with yourself and start to challenge those patterns. You aren’t a bad person because you got a bad grade and you aren’t a bad friend because you needed to stay home to study. Give yourself grace.
7) Reach Out For Support
We can’t do it all alone and sometimes we can benefit from reaching out to others. Reach out to your campus support resources or find a mental health professional in your area.
Through The Woods Mental Health Services is here to support you through your transition through college and beyond!
