There are many positive points about college. You’ll meet a lot of new friends, you’ll learn a huge amount that will help you make the right choices in terms of your career, and you’ll find out much more about yourself in the process. However, as much fun as you’re having and as much as you’re learning, you need to ensure you’re taking care of your mental health at the same time. College is hard, and it can be stressful, and it’s okay to acknowledge that. With all this in mind, here are some ways to take care of your mental health so you can make the most of your time at college and protect yourself as much as possible.
Ask For Help
The most important thing you can do is to find out who you can ask for help whenever you need to. There are dedicated counselors on site who can help you no matter what it is you need – learn where to find them and ask them questions, as this can make even the direst of situations much better and less of a challenge. Ask for the help you need from whoever you need to ask it.
Put Yourself First
This is your life, your education, your future, and your mental health, so put yourself first. Remember that no decision is permanent; if you need to change majors because your current one is impacting your mental health too much, you can do that. If you need to change colleges to one that will better support you, you can look online and get plenty of information, including SDSU college transfers requirements at CampusReel. You might even need to take some time away from college to reassess and get well. Do what is right for you, and your mental health will improve.
Get Involved
Isolation is a huge problem for students. After all, you’re leaving home for the first time, and you no longer have your friends and family around you – you might have moved thousands of miles away. Of course, you will feel lonely and worried.
However, the more you can get involved in all college has to offer, the less isolated you will feel. By joining clubs or sports or hanging out in communal areas, you’ll meet new people and make friends, especially if you have something like music, drama, soccer, or anything else in common. The more you can get involved with, the better, as you’ll be busy and not have time to feel homesick. There is a fine line, however; you don’t want to take on too much as this can be stressful, so ensure you still have time for your studies and plenty of rest too.
Have A Good Exercise Routine
One thing that can often be missed out when you go to college and start getting into a routine of study, clubs, and fun is exercise. However, even if you didn’t have a regular exercise routine in high school, college is not a time to forget about this aspect of your health. In fact, college is the ideal time to start working out what your physical exercise routine should be.
Why is this important? First, a good exercise routine (along with a healthy diet and enough sleep) will help you stay physically fit. Secondly, a good exercise routine will help protect your mental health. When you feel physically healthy, you’ll feel good overall, and that includes your mental health. It’s also because when you exercise, your body releases serotonin. This is a ‘happy hormone’ that boosts your mental health. All in all, ensuring you exercise for at least thirty minutes a day is ideal.
