Not everyone adjusts to a university setting in the way that they hoped they would. In fact, it’s a huge step to take in life and comes with many stresses along the way. It certainly isn’t all fun and full of endless events. There are deadlines to meet, social pressures to factor in, and perhaps the first time many people are away from their family and friends in their lives.
Feeling stressed and anxious is a common occurrence in life, but especially among young people. It can be easy to isolate yourself away during difficult times, ignore calls and spend evenings playing games like Desert Treasure at www.mansioncasino.com/uk/slots/desert-treasure or watching endless repeats of Netflix shows. But, in actual fact, when your anxiety reaches new heights and your stress levels feel too hard to manage, there are several helpful things you can do to fight them off.
So, with that in mind, here are a few helpful ways you can relieve stress and anxiety.
Exercise
Many universities have gyms or swimming pools and the like on campus, so be sure to make use of them as exercise is a proven way of combatting stress. Putting our bodies through physical stress helps alleviate any mental pressures we might have, as well as making us feel healthy and active. Studies show that people who exercise tend to experience anxiety a lot less than people who don’t exercise at all. Exercise is known to lower the body’s stress hormones, help improve sleep quality, help people build confidence as fitness goals are met, and help take our minds off any stresses in life. You can even try going on a short walk or giving an activity like rock climbing a go.
Write it down
Talking to friends or family about your struggles isn’t always the easiest thing to do, so writing it down might be a good alternative until you get there. Be sure to jot down what you’re grateful for and focus on the positive things in your life. Writing things down is not only a good way of getting things off your chest, but it also enables you to focus on the positive and assess your life as a whole.
Consider taking supplements
A number of supplements are known to reduce anxiety and stress, although it’s worth taking professional advice before deciding on the right one for you. For example, the likes of lemon balm, omega-3 fatty acids, green tea and kava kava are all known to help people with stress and anxiety issues. It’s worth noting that some medication can also have side effects, so make sure what you decide to take doesn’t harm your studies.
Spend time with friends and family
Being away from home can be tough, which is why making the journey home every once in a while is hugely beneficial to university life. You’ll feel refreshed and re-charged, you can potentially talk to family and friends around your anxiety and stress issues, and re-establish social connections you’re familiar with, which, in turn, is shown to reduce the risk of anxiety and depression, and hopefully provide you with the boost needed to tackle university life once again.
Take classes, meet people
Sometimes throwing yourself in at the deep end is tough, but it can be massively beneficial. Campus life can throw up the opportunity of attending various events and joining clubs. Don’t turn them down. In fact, throw yourself into anything of interest and meet new people. Yoga, for example, is a great way of meeting people but also relieving stress.