Starting university is an exhilarating experience, but from that anticipation can sometimes arise a whole other set of worries. It is completely natural to be nervous about embarking on this new journey at Nottingham, and whilst we hope you don’t hit any bumps in the road, we’ve compiled three useful ways of overcoming any obstacles you may face in your new adventure.
1. Open Yourself up to Others
If you suffer from anxiety, it can sometimes be difficult or overwhelming to welcome strangers into your life. However, these people – i.e. your flatmates, course-mates, society-mates – are all in the same boat as you.
It’s important to remember that you don’t have to be consistently proactive to meet people (we all have those days!). For example: during the first few weeks, keep your door propped open when you feel comfortable enough to do so. This way, you’re inviting your flatmates into your space; this lets them know you’re welcoming and happy to chat.
Explore as many societies and clubs that strike your interest as you can, whether these be familiar or not. Societies are great for making friends, and you’re likely to be more comfortable and less anxious in an environment where you’re all there to enjoy the same thing (Yoga Society, if you’re a yogie, for example).
The main thing to remember during the Welcome Week period and beyond is that you’re a stranger to someone else, don’t be afraid to introduce yourself.
2. Look After Yourself
I’m at risk of sounding like your mother here, but self-help is important when you’re living away from home for what is probably the first time, especially if you suffer with your mental health.
Sometimes self-care is often a major aspect of our lives we neglect when we’re not feeling our best, so it’s important to start strong. This can include getting into a regular sleeping pattern (I understand this can be hard during Freshers!), eating healthily, or exercising for those natural endorphins.
Most importantly, Freshers Week is such an exciting time to kick off university, but it can be an overwhelming amount of information to receive in a short period of time. Listen to what your body needs, relax and absorb everything that’s going on.
Refusing to take time for you can result in anxiety surrounding all elements of your university experience; recharging is essential for everyone, and being able to factor that into your routine will help you to prevent low moods in the future.
3. Do Not Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Lastly, perhaps the most important way you can support yourself on this new and exciting journey is to understand that it is okay to ask for help. I can guarantee that more students than you expect will experience stress, anxiety, or depression during their degree.
It is okay to experience these feelings, and to know that there are many systems and support networks in place to help you through them and out the other side. For example, those friends you made a cup of tea for during moving in day, or your Personal Tutor, or even your GP at Cripps Health Centre.
The university has a wonderful counselling service, and the SU provides fantastic self-help and stress-busting sessions throughout exam periods.
Our main advice: take care of yourself. Enjoy your new slice of life, knowing that all you could ever need has got your back.
Useful Links
https://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/healthcare/medsoc/welfare/ http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/currentstudents/healthyu/mental-health/bodym…
http://www.unhs.co.uk/your-health/health-and-wellbeing/mental-health/men…
Image Sources