Moving away from home and onto a college campus can be daunting for anyone. New settings, new people, new classes and a new school—all exciting things but all things that can be stressful as well. Moving away from a place you have called home your whole life can lead to mental health struggles for anyone, and it is so valid. In this article, I will give you my six tips on how to balance mental health in college and how you can, too!
1. Organization
College classes compared to high school classes are very different. Expectations, workload and professors are more intense. With that said, classes are completely manageable through organization. Your key to success is a planner. I’m serious. It might sound so obvious, but I know so many people who don’t have one or don’t think one is necessary. Organization starts with planning your week, and a paper planner can make this so easy. I look at all my assignments, quizzes, discussions, tests and classes for the week on Sunday. Next, I write it all out. Pen to paper. Old school. I promise this will change your life. If your week looks overwhelming written out, just remember one day at a time. No one expects you to get a week’s worth of work done in one day, so take things slow.
Here a list of all my favorite planners and where to get them:
1. Target daily planner: budget-friendly and cute designs
2. Papier and Rifle Paper Co.: aesthetically pleasing and very organized
3. Urban Outfitters daily planner: trendy and fun
4. Smythson on Bond Street: serious and durable
2. Time management
Similar to organization, time management is very important in lowering stress levels and feeling productive in college. I’m sure you have all heard the horror stories of people pulling all-nighters to get assignments done, but this can be avoided through good time management. For this, each morning when I wake up (after my cup of splendid coffee), I write a ‘flow of the day.’ This list is similar to a to-do list but a little more structured. I write down everything I need to do that day in order of the time they need to be done. I include the smallest details like ‘take a walk’ or ‘or submit worksheet’ or ‘eat lunch.’ Including everything helps me manage my time so much better. I have found that since doing this my stress levels have significantly decreased.
3. Realistic goal setting
Setting realistic goals is so important in college. You don’t want to set unrealistic standards for yourself because at the end of the day, you will not feel successful even if, in reality, you were. You know you best, so you know what a personal achievement is. For example, let us say you are taking applied statistics, and you know that it’s not your strongest class, and no matter how hard you study, you will likely not get a 98 percent on the final. If you set your goal as 98 percent on the final and you get an 86 percent, then you will not feel as successful as if you were to set a realistic goal of 80 percent. Be kind to yourself and always remember the most you can do is your best, and that is unique to only you!
4. Self-care
Self-care is one of the most important things to do in college. The best part about self-care is it can be anything at any given time. Self-care looks different on everyone, and it varies day to day. Some days it might be a face mask and a hot shower. Whereas the next, it might be starting a paper early, so you don’t get stressed out later in the week. Whatever it may be, I recommend partaking in some kind of self-care at least once a day or, even better, multiple times a day.
5. Healthy coping mechanisms
When you feel like your mental health is not in the best place, it is important to use healthy coping strategies. Using unhealthy coping mechanisms can lead to a worsening of your mental health. Some coping mechanisms I like to use every day as part of my self-care routine are yoga, sketching, walking, listening to music and reading! I try not to go on social media when I feel like I’m not in the best place mentally. For me, personally, social media can perpetuate unhealthy or negative feelings. So, in turn, I save my mindless scrolling for times when I feel strong in myself.
6. Social connectedness
One of the biggest things you can do when entering a new environment is making social connections. There is a plethora of research on how social connections lessen cortisol (the hormone responsible for the feeling of stress) levels and decreases stress responses. When coming to a university like Florida State University (FSU), a student will find that there are so many opportunities to get involved and meet people. At FSU, there are over 750 recognized organizations and clubs. No matter what your interest is, you can find a group of people that can relate. This is important because social connectedness can make a place feel more like home.
If you are struggling with your mental health, please consider reaching out to these resources:
- FSU Counseling Center: 644-8255 or counseling.fsu.edu
- FSU Psychology Clinic: 644-3006 or psy.fsu.edu
- Mental Health Hotline: 1-855-289-0853
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