Your first year of college is already a stressful time. You worry about classes, grades, getting involved, making friends and a countless number of things. But, college students usually leave their mental health on the back burner. So, what can you do as a college student to make sure you keep yourself healthy mentally?
Anxiety
We all know the feeling of worry before a big exam, but what is the difference between everyday worries and actual anxiety? When your everyday worries start to hinder your performance in school and life, then it might be anxiety. Anxiety usually comes with physical symptoms as well, such as: sweating, nausea, restlessness, racing heart and shortness of breath, just to name a few.
When diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, it might be hard to keep a healthy life and school balance. Here are some tips to help you stay healthy.
1. Don't overload your class schedule
A lot of students their first year of college are very eager to get in as many classes as they can, usually overbooking and overloading themselves. To be considered a full-time student at most schools, the minimum amount of credits you need to take is 12. If you can, start off your first semester with just 12 credits in your schedule. I know, everyone around you is taking 15-18 credits their first semester, but it's better to test out the waters before you dive into that 15-18 credit schedule. Plus, this is just your first semester of college. Classes are nothing like what they were in high school and it takes a bit of time to adjust, so it's a lot better if you only have 12 credits to worry about opposed to 15-18 credits.
If you need 15 credits for a scholarship you received or are just worried about graduating on time, try taking a summer or winter course! Many colleges offer online courses during these breaks, so you can easily take a 3 credit course from the comfort of your own home. These classes are a little more fast paced than the regular semester classes, but because you're only worrying about one course opposed to four, it is still doable.
2. Communicate
When you are diagnosed with anxiety disorder or any mental illness, communication with your professors is key. You do not have to disclose your exact diagnosis with your professors, but emailing or going to office hours with your professors can really help. Whether you missed some work due to an increase in symptoms or you need to discuss some absences, communication with your professors is vital to succeed.
If needed, you can always get accommodations from the disability services on campus. They can communicate with your professors and let them know that you do need some accommodations.
Whichever option you choose to let your professor know about what is going on throughout the semester, communication on your end is very important.
3. Go to your appointments
Before the college semester started, you probably were attending therapy and psychiatrist appointments regularly. When the college semester starts up, still go to your appointments! Many colleges have mental health services right on campus that can either help you directly or refer you to doctors near the area. Take advantage of these services offered by your school. Going to therapy can really help you continue to manage your symptoms and adapt to this new chapter of your life.
Also, if you are prescribed any medications, make sure you still have a way of getting them while you're at college. Medication management, along with therapy, can relieve many unwanted symptoms that come along with anxiety or any mental illness.
4. Take an off day
College is overwhelming enough with all the work, studying and classes you have to do, let alone dealing with a mental illness on top of everything. Off days or mental health days are very important, especially in college. Try scheduling your classes for only four days out of the week so you have at least one day for yourself. If this isn't possible, take a weekend day all to yourself to rest and just breathe. Many college students worry about getting behind on class work if they take whole day off. If this is you, then at least try allocating just a few hours out of one day to rest and recoup.
Any amount of time that you take to just step away from the craziness of college is better than nothing at all. Don't overwork yourself too much. Mid-semester burn out is real and usually comes from spreading oneself out too thin, too fast.
Once a week off-days (or even two days if you can manage) can really help anyone to regain focus and keep oneself stable.
5. Plan your time
Now that you're a full time college student, you're probably drowning in due dates and homework and might be feeling overwhelmed.
Get a planner!
In the age of technology, about every smartphone has some sort of calendar app already installed. Use this to plan your time!
If you're not the type of person who's into planning every hour of the day, use your notes app! Type out the tasks you want or need to get done for the day. Categorize it by the priority of the task and check off each task as you complete them.
Even if you're not technologically savvy, a physical planner will do just as fine.
Plan your time realistically as well. You're probably not going to be able to do five assignments in one day as well as go to the gym or attend a club meeting, so be realistic. Write down three manageable tasks that you know you will be able to accomplish. If you finish your tasks early, try seeing what tomorrow's plan is and maybe get ahead with your work.
If you plan realistically, and even put aside more time for assignments than you think is needed, you should be able to stay on top of your work. If your symptoms are getting in the way of doing your work or just attending class, remember to communicate with your professors.
6. Try your best
When all else fails, just try your best. This is only your first year of college and you're just learning to adapt to a plethora of new things, so don't stress when you feel like you're not succeeding as fast as your peers.
When you're a college student and have a mental illness, you might feel as if the odds are against your favor. Do not give up. College is stressful enough without adding in the factor of dealing with a mental illness. You're doing just fine. Please do not quit. You just started this journey. Even if it takes you an extra semester or even a year to graduate, do not forget the end goal.
Remember to not compare yourself to your peers and put your mental health as your top priority.
College is hard, but you are tough and will be able to do this.
Stay strong.
