Neurodiversity in the University

                  Tips for survival at university

 

 Authors: Ellie Davies, Esha Sharma, Ipek Onen, Kate Downie, Kat Leyshon, Celeste Borzoi

 

Emotional Wellbeing

 

University students often experience poor emotional wellbeing without realising it and may struggle to mitigate the impacts without appropriate support. Barbayannis et al. (2022) found a significant correlation between reports of high academic stress in university students and poor wellbeing, whereas Urani et al. (2003) found that other stresses, such as social anxiety and homesickness, may also play a role in the mental health of students, and could grow to impact other areas of their lives. 

 

Homesickness is a phenomenon which can affect people negatively in cognitive, social, emotional, and even physical areas of psychological functioning (Biasi et al,  2018). It is common for most first year university students to have this issue as it’s their first time living alone away from home. The freedom which comes with moving away can sometimes be overwhelming for students.

 

Therefore, it is vital to employ coping strategies for stress, such as:

·      Video chatting with friends and family often.

·       Exercising regularly. 

·       Setting goals to motivate yourself and keep track of deadlines. 

·       Taking breaks while studying.

reference:‌https://www.b-c-training.com/courses/

 

Joining Sports Clubs and Societies 

 

Joining a sport or society alongside your university degree has been suggested to bring an array of positive benefits to student experience; acting as a constructive means of acquiring and improving physical, social, intellectual and psychological skills (Culic et al., 2016). It allows you to gain confidence, make friends, keep fit and healthy, perfect a healthy work/life balance and most of all its great fun!

Three reasons YOU should join a sport or society:

1.    Meet new people! Joining a sport or society is a great way to make friends through meeting like-minded people.

2.    Learn new skills! Whether it's building on a pre-existing skill of yours or trying something 

completely new; a sport/society allows you to discover things you're passionate about,

outside of your degree. 

3.     Improve your employability! Joining a sport/society shows employers your commitment, time  

management skills. You can also take a role in a club's committee, demonstrating teamwork  

and leadership skills, all of which look great on your CV for future employment.

 

reference:https://www.southwales.ac.uk/old-sport/student-sport/sport-teams/usw-basketball/

 

 

 

 

Academic adjustment 

In terms of academic adjustment, the transition into higher education is often intimidating. Research by Cheng (2015) highlighted two primary academic changes and challenges for transitioning students.

 Learning Environment: The shift from school to university centres around a choice to learn, and university’s self-directed learning environment reflects this. Feelings of anxiety and confusion as you navigate set reading, seminars, and lectures are normal. However, joining your relevant course society connects you to a network of peers and senior students who can help ease this adjustment. 

Expectations: University is advertised as a million friends and a degree you love. While this is true for some, the reality may not always align with your expectations. Course disappointment is common initially and can cause feelings of displacement at university. Truth is, it takes work and patience to adjust to the academic climate, so establish a routine and consult your tutor if this issue persists.

 So, embrace the challenge; don’t avoid it. Trust the expertise of your tutors and lecturers’ and yourself! Challenge is normal, expected, and a significant part of your growth as an academic.

Physical Wellbeing 

Students at university may find it challenging to prioritise exercise and nutrition between lectures, sports and social events. However, physical wellbeing can not only improve student well-being, but also academic performance. For example, the so-called ‘brain foods’ such as blueberries, leafy greens, and nuts have been proven to delay “short-term memory loss (https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/10-foods-boost-your-brainpower). Moreover, although cooking home-made meals to include greens and other elements to your diet may be time-consuming, eating nutrient-dense foods has been proven to greatly contribute to improved brain function, which is key to focusing in lectures and sustaining memory. (https://online.maryville.edu/blog/exercise-and-nutrition-for-college-students/) A smart way to implement healthy meals in your diet is meal prepping, meaning cooking meals for the week ahead of time and storing them in the fridge, therefore

saving time and increasing organisation. (https://www.universalstudentliving.com/blog/the-ultimate-cheap-easy-meal-prep-guide-for-students)!  

 

 

reference:https://www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/50757363192

Flatmates

 

One of the main skills university life will teach you is how to live with other people in your flat, block or house. Good communication is key to living peacefully in your flat so make sure you bring up problems in the flat as soon as possible to avoid conflicts and arguments. Brown, Keys and Salzer (2015) found that reducing social exclusion and strengthening relationships between university students increased sense of belonging which highlights the importance of keeping good relations with your flatmates.

 

Keeping communal spaces like the kitchen or a bathroom is also essential to respect everyone’s space and maintain the hygiene to avoid attracting bugs, damp and mould so make sure you clear up after yourself in these spaces and respectfully ask messy members of the flat to do the same.