For some of us, the thought of going to University and dealing with its fast-paced and often hectic schedule is a daunting prospect. Whether you’re going to University for the first time or are a returning student, Her Campus wants to put your mind at ease with some ideas of how to cope with this change and also the service available to you within the University.
University life can be a challenge, both physically exhausting and also mentally draining. Whilst it is important to throw yourself into all aspects of student life, it is also important to maintain contact with people back home. If you’re feeling slightly overwhelmed by all that Exeter has to offer, a great way to help you to remain grounded is to talk to friendly and familiar faces. This can often help to put your mind at ease and you can talk over any problems you may be having. Talking over these small issues can really benefit you in the long run. The longer a problem is bottled up the worse it can become and become a lot worse than it ever needed to be in the first place.
Homesickness is completely normal, especially if it’s your first time away from home. Homesickness usually subsides after the first few weeks but it might help to put up some photos in your room and keep in contact with people at home.
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If you’re struggling to adapt to your new lifestyle it’s important to make a daily routine and organising yourself. If you’re feeling unsettled already, an unorganised work schedule can worsen your symptoms. Allocating yourself a specific number of hours each day to your work can help you feel more comfortable with your studies and your new routine. Whilst it is important to get involved at University it’s also a good idea to take some time each day to just relax yourself and get your mind in order. Otherwise you get swept along by your busy schedule and run the risk of stressing yourself out.
It’s important to remember that the majority of people will be feeling anxious in the first few weeks at University and it is completely normal to feel so. Some people settle in quicker than others but not everybody has found all their friends and conquered their course within the first few weeks. If you are feeling particularly uneasy about your course or workload, try speaking to your personal tutor who can offer you some advice on how to deal with this huge change.
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If you feel especially uneasy and feel that you need more help and advice, the university offers a fantastic Wellbeing service which offers a range of services to support students personally and in their studies. The Wellbeing team is made of up therapists and mental health practitioners that are highly skilled and experience and are here to help students who need a little extra support. The team can offer you advice and support if you think you need it and it’s very easy to organise it. You can either drop into the centre which is located in Reed Mews, telephone their reception on 01392 72 4381, access the ‘Health and Wellbeing’ category via the MyExeter portal or send an email to wellbeing@exeter.ac.uk. If this sounds like something that could be of help to you then why not look at their website for details on all the services they offer for students: www.exeter.ac.uk/wellbeing
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