Fall is in the air! September marks the ending of the summer season and the beginning of a new school year. This time of year can be so motivating, as we turn off vacation mode and anticipate all the exciting things that are to come. It can also be an incredibly busy and overwhelming time. You may be moving to a new city for school and leaving your familiar support networks. Or you may be moving to a new level of schooling, anxious about the challenges that you will face. Whatever your school year looks like, this time of year is a great opportunity to set yourself up for success when it comes to your mental health. If we’re proactive rather than reactive, putting plans in plans before things get too overwhelming, we will be better able to cope with the challenges that the year may bring us.
Read on for ideas on how you can set yourself up for a mentally healthy school year!
Establish a Routine
With everything else going on, having established routines can help bring some stability into your days. It could be a morning skincare routine, a dinnertime/cooking routine, or an evening walk – whatever makes sense for you and your life. Building in these small moments of predictability can be grounding when bigger things are changing.
One routine that is really important for mental health is your sleep. If you can, try getting into the habit of waking up and going to sleep at the same time every day. Getting regular, restful sleep is an essential part of mental health care, and we sometimes forget to give it the credit it deserves.
Get Organized
If you get your class schedules and syllabi at the beginning of the semester, I recommend spending a couple hours to put all the dates, homework, and deadlines in your calendar. Whether you use an agenda or your computer calendar, putting everything in ahead of time will save you from any surprises later on. When things get busy it’s easy to forget that a deadline is coming up, so I like to set a reminder in my calendar (or write it in my agenda the week before) for important deadlines. It’s definitely tedious to do, but get together with a friend or put a movie on in the background while you organize and your future-self will thank you.
Academic Support
Another benefit of adding in all your deadlines into your calendar ahead of time is that you can see when in the semester you may need extra support. The sooner you can go to your instructors, tutors, or peers for this support, the better. If you’re not sure what support is available or what you can do to manage your workload, you should talk to your instructor or student services about potential options. Again, it’s better to be proactive rather than reactive in this regard.
Social Support
Most of us know how impactful our social support systems can be to our mental health, so it can be daunting if you are going to a new school or program where you don’t know anyone. If this is the case, know that there are others who are probably feeling the same way. If you’re not sure how to make friends, try meeting people in a smaller setting like a club or a special interest group. These groups often have meetings or events throughout the year, which can be a low-pressure way to regularly hang out with people who share a similar interest.
Reflect & Plan
An important part of taking care of your mental health is to actually notice when things are getting worse. Often it is not until we are totally overwhelmed that we realize that we should have taken a step back sooner. It’s a good idea to reflect on the signs or symptoms that you experience when you start to become stressed so that you can intervene before it gets to be too much. It may also be helpful to share these insights with your parents/partner/roommate, in case you need help noticing when things are shifting.
Comentarios