Whilst university can be an exciting and transformative experience, it is not unusual to struggle with your mental health during this new and uncertain period of your life. Whether you are just starting Uni for the first time or returning for your final year, it is important to recognise that this lifestyle brings a unique set of challenges. If you are feeling the pressure of starting a new year, here are a few tips and recommendations that will hopefully help, and enhance, your University experience.
Firstly, explore the city you’ve chosen as your new home. This can help ground you in your surroundings and reduce feelings of isolation that come with living in an unfamiliar place. Edinburgh is an objectively idyllic city (minus the aggressive wind and rain!) with scenic walking routes. Some include: the Waters of Leith, Dean Village, and Arthur’s Seat. As cliché as it sounds, these beautiful spots are truly worth exploring. However, if you don’t fancy a walk so taxing, you can never go wrong with a loop around the Meadows, and stopping for a quick pitstop at Uplands Roast for their famous hot chocolate to clear your head.
Join a society, or two…or three! It’s nerve wracking, it’s scary and you will initially feel out of your comfort zone, but the people you meet can greatly improve your Uni experience and make you feel at home. There really is something for everyone; for example, I recently heard that a Harry Potter society exists?! First-year me would’ve been an avid attendee.
Keep moving! As someone who spent their first year living in the shadow of COVID, I hardly left my flat, confined to eating, drinking, sleeping and working in the same dreary room all year. Small changes like popping on some headphones to window shop in Armstrongs or browsing the books in Blackwells would’ve helped to prevent such stagnancy. Staying active will reduce the chance of cabin fever and general anxiety that can develop if you sit stewing in your room for too long. (Trust me, I was a culprit.)
Establish a realistic routine you can stick to. Whether you prioritise your mornings or evenings, having a consistent self-care routine has been proven to reduce anxiety. Getting enough sleep, setting aside time to study, see friends and prioritise yourself will solidify this routine and decrease your stress levels.
Finally, don’t be afraid to reach out. No feeling is insignificant and confiding in friends, family and support groups can help lift that weight from your shoulders. As the saying goes, a problem shared is a problem halved!
Below are some mental health resources available, that can also be accessed on the University website:
The Samaritans–116123-Open 24/7-National Service for Mental Health.
Breathing Space-0800 838 587-Evenings and weekends: Monday-Thursday 6pm to 2am Friday 6pm to Monday 6am–A confidential phone line for those struggling.
Edinburgh Crisis Centre-08088010414–Open 24/7-Support for those with a mental health crisis.
NHS24-111-24/7-Critical health support (including mental health).
Shout–Text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258–24/7-Confidential text support service.
The University of Edinburgh’s personal wellbeing services page: https://www.ed.ac.uk/students/health-wellbeing/wellbeing-services
“Stressed” by tokyoexpressway is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.