Life as a student: A guide on navigating mental health

By Daania Aleysha

Life as a student is…. well, hard. Having to maintain a balance between school, extra-curricular activities and our own personal life just seems impossible sometimes.

More often than not, we find ourselves buried so deeply into our responsibilities until we forget that ensuring our mental health is a top priority as well.

To some, prioritising their own mental health might be trickier than others, but let’s take a look on how to break this bad habit.

• Self care above all else

Self-care involves taking care of your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Physical self-care includes getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and engaging in regular physical activity.

Listening to your favourite music is also a form of self-care! Singing your heart out to your favourite song and dancing carelessly through the hallways might release some, if not all of the stress you’re experiencing at least for a little while. Put your problems on pause – you deserve a break. 

• Seek support when needed

Sharing our concerns with loved ones might help relieve stress since we know they will understand and support us regardless.

We will gain a broader perspective on how to tackle our problems by receiving plenty of advice and solutions from them.

On top of that, we can also seek support from campus resources such as counseling services or student support groups. These resources are often free and can provide us with the techniques and methods to effectively and positively manage our mental health.

• Maintain a healthy social life

We aspire for a healthy social life as students as it is essential for a student’s emotional and mental growth.

Build and maintain positive relationships with others by engaging in activities that we enjoy. Be it participating in clubs that pique your interest, or going to the movies or even as simple as reading a book at the library with friends and family are some healthy activities we could indulge in. Go out, socialise and explore the world!

As a student myself, trust me when I say that being a student is exhausting. But as hard as it gets, putting ourselves last should never ever be an option.