Coming in fresh out of high school, living in a completely new environment with a bunch of strangers can prove to be both a blessing and a curse. Sure, you’re no longer under the nose of your parents, but after welcome week was over, life actually got really hard really fast. Over the past month, I’ve began to figure out things to do to make this transition as easy as possible. Here are four things that I’ve learned to help take care of my mental health:
1. No pressure
What I’ve Learned
When I got to college, the atmosphere around me screamed “if you don’t make friends in the next week, you’re basically screwed, so good luck.” I felt extremely pressured to go out all the time. When I realized I wasn’t making friends as easily as everyone else seemed to be, I beat myself up for it. Once I stopped focusing on other people’s successes, I started having so much more fun and I finally found my place on campus.
My Advice
Don’t set super high expectations for yourself based on other people — everyone finds their place in different ways and you shouldn’t compare your journey with anyone else’s. If you don’t want to go out, then don’t feel like you’re obligated to just because that’s what the people around you are doing. Let people get to know the real you instead of who you feel like you’re supposed to be.
2. Find space and spend time alone
What I’ve Learned
Growing up as an only child, I was definitely expecting to be out of my element when it came to sharing a room, but I wasn’t prepared for missing alone time constantly. Sometimes, when life becomes a little too much, the best thing to do is to just take some time alone and chill. However, when you’re living in a shoebox with seven other 18-year-old girls, this can prove to be difficult.
My Advice
Find a spot you can call your own. Whether it’s a courtyard, or even the common area in your dorm, anywhere where you can just relax without being bothered is a godsend, especially during stressful times (which I’ve learned pop up a lot in college). Whether you’re introverted or extroverted, being around people 24/7 can be extremely exhausting and since that’s basically what the college environment is, these breaks are so important.
3. Take a mental health day
What I’ve Learned
Let’s face it — no matter how put together we may feel, we all need a break sometimes. When life is especially annoying, I just take some time for myself and do things that make me happy. For me, that happens to be getting Pad Thai from Noodles and Company and online window shopping. The beautiful thing about “mental health days,” no matter what it is that makes you happy, is that it’s so undefined — it’s all subjective.
My Advice
Don’t let Twitter tell you that you have to eat a salad or “rub coconut oil on it” to cure your mood. If sitting around and watching Netflix for 10 hours makes your day, then go for it. These mechanisms can be especially refreshing after a difficult week, or even if you just need to recharge.
4. Know your resources
If you ever feel like you’re in more than just a rut, never be afraid to reach out to people that you trust or even seek out resources on campus. It’s free, and talking through issues with someone is so much better than pretending they don’t exist.
Photo Credits: Cover image, 1, 2, 3.