Ways Students Can Manage Their Mental Health

Back to school means change, which brings opportunities or maybe anxiety. Mental health is important to living your best life. College life prepares you for the future in many ways. Here are some tips to help manage your mental health for back to school. 

Set some personal goals for yourself

It’s important to have short term and long term goals. They can range from wanting to read a new book by the end of the month to putting yourself out there by joining more clubs or maintaining a certain percentage in a class. How can this be helpful? Making more friends in college can grow your network, helping you get a job after graduation. Or reading that new book may help you write that paper or give you inspiration for a class project. 

Organize your calendar and manage your time 

Staying organized and sticking to a schedule for outside your classes will help keep you grounded. You know you best, so be honest with yourself when scheduling study blocks, friend time and relaxing time. Check out our blog post on 4 Ways to Improve Your Time Management and Increase Productivity. Remember: you can study, work out and eat with friends – you don’t have to sacrifice your social life. 

Find the outlet that works best for you

Having an outlet can help you sort out your thoughts and feelings. Some great options include journaling and meditating to creating artwork or working out. Outlets and hobbies can help manage your mental health for many reasons both physically and mentally. 

Seek out on-campus resources to manage your stress and mental health

Many of your university’s resources are included in your tuition which is a no brainer but can be easy to forget. If you feel like your anxiety and stress levels are becoming too much to handle academically, be sure to talk to your academic advisor and let them know how you are feeling about classes and workload. They will be able to recommend and help with finding a solution that works best for you. Tutors are an amazing resource as well. Peer tutors can help you with tips and tricks for class materials and share helpful insights on some professors’ teaching styles. Be sure to check with your university or RA about all the available resources for students.

Pets

Leaving Fluffy and Fido at home can be the hardest part of leaving for college. Since college housing will not allow them, there are solutions! One option is to volunteer at the local shelter. Shelters can often use the help and the animal’s benefit need and want your love and attention as much as you. Pet sitting is also a great way to get some love as well as making some cash. You can find different ways to get your pet fix on campus if you know where to go.

When all is said and done, there are so many things that can help with your mental health in college. Don’t disregard it and do what you can to keep your spirits lifted! Overall, don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Be sure to locate your school resources if you ever need them.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health and needs some support, visit jedfoundation.org/help for resources.