This month I want to focus on something many college students struggle with, mental health. I have faced my fair share of anxiety and stress in college. The journey to bettering my mental health began my sophomore year of college and has continued to today. I still continue to struggle with anxiety and fear what is to come post-graduation, however, I have learned ways to help manage that anxiety and stress in my daily life.
Sometimes everything feels like it's happening all at once. In my opinion, the best way to combat this feeling is to find a way to slow yourself down. My first course of action is to create a checklist. I often divide my to-do lists by class or day of the week and create a nice schedule for myself in either my bullet journal or my notion. When I am able to see exactly what the steps are for each assignment or how many days I have until a deadline I am able to slow myself down and take it step by step.
One struggle I was having came with meals. As a college student, you often have classes right in the middle of lunch or breakfast. I noticed I was not eating as much as I should have been and that was interfering with my mental state. I started to go to dining halls during breaks to eat and do work but I found that taking lunchtime to step away from work really helped me to slow down my mind. I began to take this time to eat and plan my to-dos instead of trying to write an entire paper or do a project while eating. Now that I live off campus I plan my meals out for the week which allows for less stress in figuring out what to eat each day. On Sundays, I write down my weekly schedule and the meals for each day. I also go grocery shopping on Sundays and always go with a buddy so the task feels less stressful. This has significantly changed my productivity and positivity in my weeks. Instead of stressing over what to eat and when; I am already prepared and know exactly what to grab from the kitchen.
It's much easier said than done to manage your stress and anxiety. One rule I like to follow is "if it won't matter in 5 years don't spend more than 5 minutes worrying about it." Be sure to take time for yourself and don't be afraid to say no to things, other opportunities will come around. If you are struggling it is really important to see a mental health professional. When I began therapy I wasn't sure if it would really help. I didn't want to talk about feelings or open up. Now I can say it's been two years of Therapy and I am so happy I took that step. Therapy has taught me so much about myself and has made me recognize how far I have come.
You are not alone. There are so many resources out there to help you get through the tough stuff. Reach out to your counseling center on campus or seek outside sources if you or someone you know is struggling. A list of resources can be found at https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/mental-health-resources/.
You can also help promote the Suicide Awareness Hotline ( 988) by purchasing a sticker from the Irrellavent Red Bubble store! Be sure to follow @itsirrellavent for more.
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