University: 20 Things to Remember

Summer is over and school is back. That means that a lot of new students are starting university and many more are returning. If you have read my first post you will know that I am taking this year out of university to focus on my mental health recovery. I barely survived my first year of university, but I did and I learnt a lot.

So, here are some things that I wish I had remembered  when I was struggling to survive university. If I had, perhaps I would have done more than survive.

1. Put on your own oxygen mask before putting on someone else’s. Take care of your mental health before you can take care of your grades or relationships.

 "It's not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It's necessary."
  – Mandy Hale 

2. A degree is worthless if you are too sick to use it.

3. Being around the wrong people is lonelier than being alone.

4. Regretting an experience is worse than the fear of an experience. Feel the fear and do it anyway.

5. 1 in 4 people have a mental illness. That means that every day you will walk passed and probably talk to someone with a mental illness. You are not the only one struggling with a mental illness at university. Others have asked for help. Nobody will think you are weird for taking care of your mental health. Nobody will think that you are weak for asking for help.

6. You may not regret not going to the party, not going to class, or not making friends but you will regret letting your anxiety make the decision for you.

7. Baby steps are still steps. Celebrate every victory, no matter how small it may seem.

8. Life is short, but it isn’t a race. Or a competition. You don’t have to be in a particular point of your life by a particular age. You don’t have to have accomplished something at the same time as someone else your age.

"Life should be touched, not strangled. You've got to relax, let it happen at times, and at others move forward with it."
– Ray Bradbury 

9. Everyone is nervous to some degree. Everyone knows and expects you to be nervous. They won’t think that you’re weird.

10. No one really knows what they’re doing and that’s OK. That goes for older students and professors too. We all have one life. That means that we are all beginners. Don’t let anyone make you feel small, intentionally, or not, just because they are better at hiding this fact.

11. There is no shame in using hotlines or other similar services. More people use them than you think.

12. There is a world outside of university. Sometimes you become so used to living inside of the little uni bubble that you forget how small it is.

13. Good things happen when you’re open minded.

14. Check in with your present self before helping your future self.

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."
– Ralph Waldo Emerson 

15. Everyone struggles at some point. Socially, academically, mentally. People feel lonely, struggle to make friends, question whether they should drop out. It often feels like everyone is having the time of their life, but that’s not the case all of the time.

16. Everything seems worse when you’re tired.

17. It is OK to take a mental health day if you need it.

18. Sometimes self-care involves taking responsibility. Shower, do your laundry, make dinner. Sometimes you need to provide yourself with tough love.

19. Put your health (physical and mental) before your grades and don’t feel guilty for doing so.

20. It’s OK to take a year out or even drop out if that’s what you need. Your health and happiness are worth more than money and even your pride.

“Changing your mind is one of the best ways of finding out whether you still have one”
– Taylor Mali. 

If you liked this post you may also like:

• 10 Tips For Taking Care of Your Mental Health at University.
• 5 Ways to Work on Your Mental Health
• Reclaiming Colour

RESOURCES

http://www.studentminds.org.uk/

UK & Ireland – The Samaritans - 116 123

Northern Ireland Lifeline - 0808 808 8000

America – The Samaritans - 1 (800) 273-TALK

Australia – LifeLine - 1-300-13-11-14

Netherlands – National Crisis Line - 0900-1450