Mental health is often overlooked. People talk about looking after their body to stay healthy but it’s just as important to look after your mind too. Starting university is an exciting time, but it’s ok to feel nervous or overwhelmed if you’re moving away from home or starting university without your friends.
Managing stress and anxiety is simple and to help put your mind at ease, our Student Ambassadors share their stories and tips for some of the common worries that new students face.
Luke Thrussell Disaster Management and Emergency Planning graduate:
‘One of the best pieces of advice I was given was avoid going home within the first month of starting university. If you stop counting down the days until you go home, you’ll soon find things to do in your local area and begin to enjoy your new home. The weekends are the best time to go out and spend time with people you are just getting to know. You can get a train to pretty much anywhere from Coventry so make the most of your free weekends before the assignments kick in!’
‘It’s important to be aware of your mental health and schedule time to disconnect from your studies and find things that you enjoy doing. I always plan to keep my weekends free, this motivates me to work harder during the week so I can make the most of my days off.’
Danny Ryan Human Biosciences graduate:
‘There’s lots of support on offer at the University that students don’t often make the most of. We have a Health and Wellbeing Team who offer exam stress workshops and the Students’ Union hold drop-in advice sessions. Don’t be afraid to talk to your tutors too.’
‘There’s lots going on at university so it’s easy to get caught up in the moment. Treat everything as a learning experience. Whether you’ve gone over budget or left your coursework until the last minute, most students have been in similar situations. Don’t fixate on your mistakes, learn from them!’
Katie Trigg, Law graduate:
‘Make the most of the opportunities around you, say yes to going out even if you don’t feel like you know people well enough. Everybody is in the same boat as you and probably just as nervous about making friends.
At the same time, it’s also ok to say no sometimes if you want time to wind down. Your university experience shouldn’t be based on other people’s expectations like going out all the time – it’s important to find a balance between your studies and social life.’
Jack Sutton Sociology graduate
‘University is about growing as a person, not just inside the lecture theatre but outside too. Focus on how far you’ve come. You’re learning to live independently, which can be overwhelming at first, but remember it’s a real achievement.’
‘Be like a tree, spread your roots further. University isn’t like school or college, there aren’t cliques of people. I felt like everyone is more supportive and accommodating because we’re all in the same situation. Don’t be afraid to invite others out and try something new to meet a variety of people.’
