Welcome to Warwick: a guide to life at university

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The transition to higher education can be daunting, so here are our top tips for making this journey a bit easier! We discuss how four major areas can make life at uni less stressful for the average student by contributing to a positive wellbeing, these include: physical activity, socialising, wellbeing and diet.


Wellbeing

 Being new to college, many students may feel curiosity, excitement, and a desire to explore, but at the same time, some students may feel anxious, overwhelmed, and even depressed. I'd like to introduce you to our school's excellent wellbeing organisation, which you can find at (https://warwick.ac.uk/services/wss/). It provides professional counselling, therapy and some help with your academics! You can also go directly to the senate house for help during working hours, 10am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, or you can call 024 7657 5570 for further 24/7 help. Please trust our staff. They will do their best to help you with the problems you are facing. Whether it's depression, anxiety, or other mental disorders, you won't be discriminated against or prejudiced. Every staff member here is very kind and friendly, making you feel warm and welcome in a foreign country. We have professional staff to deal with all kinds of problems that you may encounter, and to ensure your privacy and comfort, your problems will be solved by the system's staff to the best of their ability. The staff will also take great care of your psychological state to ensure stability after each counselling session.

Dealing with loneliness



Transitioning to a new environment can always be challenging especially when you do not have any familiar faces (Morosanu et al, 2010). Morosanu et al, (2010) asserts that moving to an unfamiliar place with people you do not know can affect your mental well-being in a negative manner and the surroundings of those around you can make a big difference. Personally, I found that settling in was difficult for the first few days but after meeting my flatmates and slowly becoming comfortable around them, the fear and anxiety decreased, allowing me to feel more at ease. I would say that your flatmates and those you spend the academic year with make a huge impact on your well-being and happiness, easing the transition to university. For example, homesickness is common especially for international students, leading to anxiety and possibly depression (Christopher & Edward, 2012). Christopher and Edward (2012) stated that this can lead people to withdraw from their academic studies, preventing them from enjoying their first year at university. My advice would be to try to know and enjoy your flatmate’s company as the relationship you build with them will significantly impact your time at university, mitigating the feeling of being homesick.


It’s Important to be physically active



-Cognitive benefits

Studies have shown the positive correlation between physical activity and cognitive function. Engaging in regular exercise has been linked to improved performance in working memory and cognitive flexibility (Mandolesi et al., 2018.) To be more specific, Lin et al. suggest that exercise stimulates the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which play key roles in mood regulation and cognitive function. Therefore, as you navigate the academic challenges of university life, incorporating physical activity into your daily routine can contribute to better academic performance by optimizing your cognitive abilities.

-Improved Physical Stamina to Cope with Academic Studies

Physical demands of university life are overwhelming, we all know how it “smashed” our body. Thus, it is crucial to have a physical condition to excel academically. Redondo et al. examine the relationship between physical fitness and academic performance in college students. The study highlights the importance of physical fitness, specifically maximum oxygen uptake, as well as factors like blood pressure and sleep habits, in academic achievement. This implies us the need for activities that focus on improving physical condition to enhance academic performance.

Diet


University students are known to have a poor diet (possibly due to prioritising going out over eating well), however this may have a greater effect on their wellbeing than is commonly known. Research found that 30% of young people in the lowest quartile for healthy eating had significant association with greater depressive symptoms, poorer well-being and emotional difficulties (Puloka et al., 2017). This suggests that to have a more positive experience at university, students should try to have a more balanced diet by incorporating various food groups into their daily meals. Fast food heavy diets are also common to students, another factor that can be harmful to their wellbeing. Studies found that high calorie diets are detrimental to brain health, including cognitive decline and hippocampal dysfunction (Firth et al 2020), leading to negative effects on the students overall mood. Therefore, in order to keep a positive wellbeing, a good diet is imperative!


Reference list

Morosanu, L., Handley, K., & O’Donovan, B. (2010). Seeking support: Researching first‐year students’ experiences of coping with academic life. Higher Education Research & Development, 29(6), 665–678. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2010.487200

Thurber, C. A., & Walton, E. A. (2012). Homesickness and adjustment in university students. Journal of American College Health, 60(5), 415–419. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2012.673520Mandolesi, L., Polverino, A., Montuori, S., Foti, F., Ferraioli, G., Sorrentino, P., & Sorrentino, G. (2018). Effects of physical exercise on cognitive functioning and wellbeing: Biological and psychological benefits. Frontiers in Psychology, 9(9). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00509

Lin, T.-W., & Kuo, Y.-M. (2013). Exercise Benefits Brain Function: The Monoamine Connection. Brain Sciences, 3(4), 39–53. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci3010039

Redondo-Flórez, L., Ramos-Campo, D. J., & Clemente-Suárez, V. J. (2022). Relationship between Physical Fitness and Academic Performance in University Students. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(22), 14750. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192214750

Puloka, I., Utter, J., Denny, S. & Fleming, T. (2017). Dietary behaviours and the mental wellbeing of New Zealand   adolescents. Journal of paediatrics and child health 53(7), 657-662   https://doi.org/10.1111/jpc.13524

Firth J., Gangwisch J. E., Borsini A., Wootton R. E. & Mayer E. A. (2020).Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing? BMJ 369

doi:10.1136/bmj.m2382



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