Being a college student can be beyond difficult and can sometimes push you to your limits. Here are six things that got me through my time at Bradley, and could help you too.
- The Right Friends
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My time at Bradley would not be the same without the amazing friends I made. I know we will be friends for a very long time after college. We have been through so much together including: studying abroad, summer road trips, Chicago weekends, concerts and so much more. Surrounding yourself with positive people will be the best thing you can do for your mental health in college. It may be intimidating to find friends at first, but they will all come with time, especially when you join clubs and organizations on campus.
- Trying New Things — Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone
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Freshman year I told myself to sign up for things that peaked my interest, even if it meant doing something that I haven’t done before. I immediately joined ESA, a service sorority on campus, which was something I did not know about prior to coming to Bradley. I have been in the sorority for four years, and I continued to step out of my comfort zone when I decided to be on its exec board for three years in a row. I don’t regret a single second of it. If I didn’t decide to do something new, I have no idea what my college experience would have looked like.
- Asking For Help
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One thing that I have learned in college is to ask for help when you need it. I am the type of person, as many are, who does not want help even if it is needed. I used campus resources such as friends, professors, student services and more. Now that I am in graduate school, I will continue to encourage myself to use resources meant for my academic success because they helped me through a lot at Bradley.
- A Nice Living Area
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My home is the one place where I can truly relax on campus. Nothing makes me feel better than a place to call home. I made my home the way I wanted it — the colors, style and decorations. Each aspect of my home reminds me of something happy or special. My apartment is currently chaotic, but everything in it reminds me of something good that has happened to me or the good times at Bradley. I rarely followed my own advice; however, keeping my room clean and tidy is something that helps my focus and mood. Whenever my room was clean, I felt like my life was a little better than before.
- Days Designated for Breaks
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When I got so caught up in my work and meetings, it was very important for me to designate one or two days out of the week to focus on relaxing and doing fun activities with my friends. My mental health breaks are very important to me. They allow me to have my full effort on my work implemented during the week. It can be very difficult to put down your work, especially in the middle of the semester. Therefore, even an evening or afternoon off was beneficial to my mental health.
- Taking Advantage of What Peoria Can Offer
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Peoria may seem boring at first glance, but it has a lot more to offer than you’d expect. It provided me and my friends with many enjoyable opportunities and activities. A few of those were small business shops or stores, coffee shops, the farmers market on the Riverwalk (a definite MUST), beautiful hikes and views, amazing food and so much more. I tried something new with my friends almost every week and truly found out what Peoria had to offer us. Peoria grew on me as time went on, and overall, I think it is a fun place to live in.