Counting down to the next academic year: managing the fear.

Emma writes about dealing with anxiety in the build up to the academic year, and how to face it when you finally return to university.

- Emma

As I write this post I am counting down the days until my third year at university begins. I took a year out after second year to do a placement after having had a tough time adjusting to uni life. Although I feel like there is more awareness around this topic now, when I first went off to university I was so excited to start a new chapter of my life: I hoped I�d become this vibrant, extroverted and more relaxed version of myself that I blamed A-Levels for hiding. Needless to say, this wasn�t the case. My first year of uni really wasn�t what I had expected and I felt like this was all my fault. I missed home a lot more than I thought I would and I found myself comparing my not-so-great experience with that of friends at other universities who seemed to be having the time of their lives.

Eventually, summer semester was over and I had a whole 3 months at home stretched out in front of me � I couldn�t have been happier. However, as September began to creep closer, I could feel myself becoming more and more scared at the prospect of going back to the life that I had managed to avoid for the past few months, a life filled with home-sickness, deadlines, stress and � worst of all � loneliness. 

It turned out that, although second year still wasn�t the amazing experience I was searching for, it was a lot better than I feared it would be. After all, the fear and anxiety at the anticipation of something is rarely ever as bad as the reality. 

This leads me to where I am at now: a new term is almost here once again and, although I am beginning to feel the dreaded final year nerves, I am in a much difference place to this time last year. So I want to share some key messages that have helped me out this time around, in thinking about the coming academic year.

1. Enjoy the present but don�t be afraid to plan ahead. 

As much as it can be tempting to bury your head in the sand for a few more weeks and pretend term-time isn�t approaching, it won�t help in the long run and it�ll only make you think about it even more. Be prepared. Write a couple of goals or things you want to achieve for the new academic year. Problem solve any potential barriers that might get in the way. I found going to the gym helpful when I was feeling down during first year, but I stopped when deadlines became too much. This year I plan to maintain going to the gym by setting up the habit before term actually starts and choosing a gym located on my way home from campus. 

2. Push yourself 

I know all too well that being in your comfort zone can seem like the best place to be when you�re not feeling yourself or if you�re missing home. Sometimes this can be helpful and wrapping yourself up in your blankets with a hot drink can be the best way to unwind after a tricky day, but don�t let this be an excuse! Often the best thing for yourself may be the thing you really don�t want to do. For example, going into the kitchen to have dinner with a flatmate or arranging to meet a friend after lectures. Doing the thing you don�t want to do (especially when it comes to socialising) will give you such a sense of achievement in yourself that it will beat any satisfaction from a night in watching Netflix. And it gets easier each time, I promise!

3. It�s okay not to be okay

University isn�t always the best time of your life and I�ve realised this through opening up to friends and educating myself about student wellbeing through sites such as Student Minds. If you�re not enjoying certain aspects of it, try to change them. If you can�t, also know that these things will pass and you just have to ride them out as best as you can. As clich� as it sounds, things do get better, you just have to be ready and waiting for when they do!

Hi everyone! I�m Emma and I study Psychology at King�s College London. I�m currently on a placement year working in the NHS � so (hopefully!) I can combine what I�ve learnt on placement with my experience as a student in my writing. I haven�t got much of a background in blogging/writing but I look forward to sharing my take on mental health and student life. I�m really excited to be able to contribute to the Student Minds blog as mental wellbeing is a topic I love to talk about and should never be overlooked!

Returning to uni after eating disorder treatment

Laura reflects on the highs and lows of returning to university after taking a year out to receive treatment for anorexia.

-Laura

After a whole year at home doing little more than attend therapy appointments, make meal plans, volunteer at my old primary school and do hundreds of crosswords, I was heading back to uni. I�m not going to say that the past year was transformative, or even that it miraculously made me recover, because I am still fighting anorexia day after day. It was a tough year and it tested me, but I realised that sitting around waiting for recovery to come along was pointless, because truthfully it wasn�t going to happen like that. I�m not going to one day decide to get better, especially if I have nothing tangible to get better for. Which is why I decided to go back: for purpose, for direction, for a future.

Nothing was plain sailing, but there were some overwhelmingly positive things to come out of returning to university. And the best? Normality! Finally, for the first time in a long time, my day was not completely structured around when/what I would eat and my mind was not completely consumed by my eating disorder. I was *almost* a normal, 21-year-old student, and it felt great. It was great to be stressed about an upcoming assessment rather than thinking about calories. It was great to talk about something besides anorexia, it was great to laugh and share and have fun. I loved being back in a city. I loved learning again, and I felt excited about learning from people at the forefront of their field. Anorexia had taken so much away from me, and I was finally starting to reclaim my life.

But inevitably, there was the bad stuff. With nobody to be accountable to, nobody to tell me what to eat and when, the ball fell in my court: I was alone, and I struggled, but I had an incredible support system and they were there for me unconditionally. I had bad days with anxiety, I found socialising difficult, but I did it regardless. I pushed through the worry and the fear and the panic and the misery and the negative feelings and I made it through the whole term. I am not ashamed to say, I am proud of myself.

I fully believe that university isn�t easy for anyone. I think it can be a place of loneliness and ostracism and I think it can breed mental illness. The pressure is intense from all angles: you have to be sociable, but also studious, you have to be sporty or talented but academic and conscientious, you have to volunteer and get work experience but also complete every essay by the deadline and get a decent grade. You have to have your career plan sorted, your CV overflowing and your contact list ever-increasing. You are expected to do everything and be everything, but it�s not possible.

Pressure like this is what pushes people to the edge; it�s what pushes people over the edge. It�s important that people aren�t ashamed to ask for help, and it�s important that they know what help is out there should they need it. Because what�s the point of pushing yourself to breaking point for a degree if it has such a detrimental impact upon your health? We need to preach balance, breaks, and better mental health care to stop university becoming such a difficult place to thrive for some.

If you are worried about yourself or a friend please visit here for further support.

Hi, I'm Laura! I�m a final year student at university and after struggling with anorexia for almost two years, I wanted to share some of my experiences with the hope of encouraging students to speak out and helping others feel less alone. 

10 things you need to know about Mental Health at University

Jodie writes about the 10 things it is helpful to know about mental health at university. 

- Jodie Goodacre

University is so often talked about as being the best years of your life, a place where you will make life long friends, get involved with many societies and gain independence.  However, this is a large leap in a person�s life and it can bring with it a number of difficulties. Students are warned about the stress that studying at university will bring with it, as well as potential mental health issues that may arise. However, what is not often discussed is the level at which mental health problems exist, with the number of students dropping out from university courses due to mental illness increasing significantly in recent years. Perhaps unsurprisingly, mental health difficulties are more prevalent in university students than the general population with 75% of all mental health difficulties developing in individuals by their mid-20s (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2010). It is recognised that a student�s mental wellbeing will directly impact on their performance academically, the friendships created and their overall experience at the university. It is not simply in the best interests of the university to invest time and money into the wellbeing of their students (and staff), but in fact it is their duty to do so. 

For those considering going to university, for those with friends or family going to university, for those in the education system and for all, these are the ten things that you need to know about mental health at university. 

1.  Academic pressure can fuel mental health difficulties
Whilst the majority of students will have joined university straight after completing their A-levels or similar qualifications and work pressure is nothing new to them, the sheer intensity can come as quite a shock. University is likely to be the first time that a student is asked to learn independently, to manage their own time and to think outside of the box, creating their own ideas far beyond a textbook. It is important that whilst at university you make time for self care and to know that your results do not define you or your worth.

2. Financial strain will become a larger strain than you first imagine 
Another huge pressure is the financial implications of going to university. Financial stress can drive mental health difficulties; expensive tuition fees alongside uncertain job prospects mean students are becoming ever more stressed about whether the costs incurred will pay off. If you would like some more advice on how to manage your finances you will be able to find some information here.

3. A routine is essential to your mental health at university
At university, the ball is well and truly in your corner. You choose to attend lectures, if you skip them there will unlikely be any follow up unless you are regularly skipping. You choose what time to wake up and go to bed. For many, self-management can be incredibly difficult, there are different social events on different evenings, there are deadlines at different stages, it won�t always be easy, or possible to stick to a regular routine and losing this structure can have a really big impact on productivity and wellbeing. Start the year in the way you wish to continue, use bullet journals, diaries, calendars � whatever it is you find helpful to your own organisation

4. Social media is a blessing and a curse 
I am sure this is nothing new to many students, however, at university social media seems to become �more central� to the experience: friend requests left, right and centre, tagged photos, house party invites. Social media in general is known to have both positive and detrimental impacts to a person�s mental health, with a whole network allowing us to judge ourselves and our lives against others. The constant and sometimes relentless stream of status updates and photos of people appearing to have a good time can turn social media into an area of competition instead of relaxation. It is important to reclaim social media and make it a more honest place � you can share your best night in here.

5. Living in halls is not as scary as it first seems 
The thought of living with complete strangers can be scary at first, but there are many thousands of others taking this step as they start university. It is important to try and make your room as homely as possible, put up your favourite photos, get nice bedding and make it your own. Why not buy some tea and biscuits for that first social meeting with your new housemates? It is also ok if you do not get on with your house mates, there are plenty of other ways to meet people at university. It will be useful to prepare yourself before you move in order to make the transition smooth.

6. Living at home can be beneficial and isolating at the same time
When you picture a university student, you may imagine students living away from home but what about the 27% of students living at home (Guardian, 2017). You will have to try harder to fit in with close groups that live together. This is especially noticeable in first year following �freshers�, which is definitely not made for students living at home and you may notice most of your friends are from your course rather than across university courses � be sure not to shoot off straight after lectures, stay around and socialise if you are able to as it can feel very isolating at times.

7. Making friends 
Being at university is not purely about studying, it is a whole experience, and socialising is a very important aspect. Students are put in the same position, thrown into a new environment, often not knowing anyone else � you become a very small fish, in a very large pond. It can be very overwhelming and very anxiety provoking, but a great chance to meet likeminded people. The first person you meet might not be your best friend for life and that is okay. If you are lucky, you might develop strong friendships that will last a lifetime. People may find this time in their lives difficult; know what to look out for in Student Minds Look After Your Mate guide.

8. Fresher�s week may damage more than your liver
Fresher�s week, the start of the university year. It is a great way to meet people, make friends, relax and slowly ease into university life. Whilst this period is usually seen as a student essential, the sheer amount of clubbing, events and most notable� alcohol can become too frequent and prove overwhelming for some. Please, look after yourself and watch your alcohol consumption. Also if you do not drink that is also ok and there will be other students who are exactly the same as you can read here.

9. Societies give you a much needed break from university work  
There are lots of ways to embed yourself into your university community and joining societies is one of them. Always wanted to try out something new? Been part of a club at home for years? Attend your societies fair or check out your student union website to find out what societies are available at your university. This can be a great way to meet likeminded people and have fun outside of the academic pressures of university.

10. Services are there for you, make use of them 
At university there are a variety of services to support students such as a doctor�s surgery and a wellbeing centre. When at school you will have had a large amount of contact with the staff, however at university you will have minimal contact hours with staff and thus sadly much less likely for them to pick up on symptoms of poor mental wellbeing, unless you bring it to their attention. It is very important that you speak to your tutors and also the wellbeing centre when you need that additional support. Find out what further support is available to you here.



Hey! I am Jodie, a final year Geography student from Hertfordshire living with Borderline Personality Disorder, Bipolar Type 2 and Anxiety. I am a passionate Mental Health Campaigner, having worked across the UK delivering speeches in schools, speaking with ministers at the department of health, working with the media all with the aim of raising awareness and reducing stigma.  I am thrilled to be working with Student Minds to continue this journey in highlighting the difficulties that can come with education whilst showing that life can continue with a mental illness, you can achieve greatness just like someone without a mental health condition.