Tips for Survival at 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 and 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 your 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,

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/10-foods-boost-your-brainpower).

leafy greens, and nuts have been proven to delay “short-term memory loss”

(

oreover, although cooking home-made meals to include greens and other elements

Mto your diet may be time-consuming, eating nutrient-dense foods has been proven

tures and sustaining memory. (

to greatly contribute to improved brain function, which is key to focusing in

le

chttps://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

https://www.universalstudentliving.com/blog/the-ultimate-cheap-easy-meal-prep-guide-for-students)!  

saving time and increasing organisation.

 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

.