Welcome back, y’all! Today I have a guest post by Precious Okoruwa, owner of ThePoBoxBlog.com! Her blog focuses on all things college, books and lifestyle. Make sure you not only read today’s post, but check her blog out too!
Precious tackles a big topic in the college community at the moment, mental health. Sometimes classes and other factors can be overwhelming and your mental health can take a toll. Luckily, she has some tips and helpful information on how to stay mentally healthy while in college.
Without further ado, here’s Precious!
Let’s be real
College can be stressful.
Actually, that’s probably the understatement of the year. For me, college is more stressful than anything else at times. But it can also be very rewarding which is why it’s worth sticking with until graduation. But to get there we have to overcome some roadblocks.
For a lot of us, that includes facing our mental health head-on.
Before I came to college, I didn’t really think about mental health. It was that hot button topic that people talked about all the time but I wasn’t really sure what it meant or if it even related to me. If you’re in the same position, let me tell you, mental health does relate to you.
After taking a few psychology classes and talking to others on campus, I’ve come up with a definition of mental health that works for me. It’s pretty simple.
Mental Health: The state of being of your mind aka your mental
fitness.
Okay, simple but a little complex. I see mental health as something that everyone has. Like, how your body can be physically healthy or fit, your mind can be mentally healthy.
But what does that all mean?
Basically, everyone has “mental health.” Just like your body can be sick for a short or long period of time, your mental health can be disrupted for a short or long period of time. No matter who you are, you probably have faced or will face challenges with mental health.
That’s not to say that you will be mentally ill, which is a completely different topic for another day and another post. What I am saying, is that you need to be aware of your mental state–your thoughts, emotions, and feelings–especially in college.
As I so deftly pointed out earlier, college can be just plain hard. You have a newfound freedom and independence, you have piles of responsibility, and you have to balance everything from classwork to
a social life. Not everything will go smoothly and according to plan, which can really upset the balance of our mental health.
So how can you stay on top of your mental health in college?
The three tips
My first tip for you would be to find a support system as quickly as you can.
I usually recommend at least one mentor who has been through what you have (someone who has had the same major as you or has gone to the same school as you) and can counsel you through what
is happening in your life.
Along with a mentor, a solid friend or two will help out immensely.
These are the people who will text you to check up on you if they haven’t heard from you in a week and these are the people that you feel comfortable turning to when you need to be open and vulnerable about your mental health state.
Bottom line, find people who will care about you and won’t judge you.
Next, have a plan. There will be times when you’re unexpectedly hit with a life event that tosses your mental health out the window. Have comfort items, or places you like to go, or activities you like to do when you’re feeling down.
I like to keep a stash of chocolate in my dorm, my favorite flavor of tea, and a book that I haven’t read yet. The peace that comes with the surrounding myself with my favorite things takes the sting off a bit when I’m faced with a
rough situation and helps me find a balance.
Lastly, I would recommend reflecting often.
This doesn’t have to come in the form of mediation or prayer if that’s not your thing. I was involved in this research study on campus recently where I had to track my emotions for thirty days. Up until then, I had never really thought about how angry I felt on a given day or how many times a day I felt annoyed. Knowing what’s typical for my mind helped me spot the times when something was not quite right.
I love journaling as a way to reflect on my day, my thoughts, and my life in general. There are a billion ways to do it. You can draw and doodle about your day or you can write letters or you can write quotes down in a book. Journaling comes in so many forms but it’s a great way to express yourself privately.
It’s also a great way to keep track of all the events happening while you’re in college. You’ll have a written record of memories.
I hope that I helped you understand your own mental health better and given you some useful tips to help you find a balance in your life. I started my blog as a way for college students to share their college experiences- both good and bad. If you want to connect with me and find out what else I’m working on, check me out at
ThePOBoxBlog.com!
Thanks so much Precious. Hopefully you enjoyed these tips and ideas on how to stay mentally healthy in college and will apply them to your own college (or post-college) lives!
Want to keep up with Precious? She can be found on Pinterest, Twitter, and Bloglovin’!
Until next time,
