Top tips for settling into a new life at university
WORRIED ABOUT YOUR CHILDREN LEAVING HOME? SMALL STEPS CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE WHEN TACKLING STRESS AND HOMESICKNESS, MEDITATION EXPERT WILL WILLIAMS TELLS ABI JACKSON
STARTING university is an exciting new chapter for young students, but it can also be daunting and stressful. There are deadlines and living costs to manage, the pressure to make new friends, not to mention that for many it’ll be the first time they’ve lived away from home.
“It’s the step into the unknown,” says Will Williams, Europe’s leading Vedic meditation expert. “Last year, more than a quarter of British students reported having a mental health issue, with depression and anxiety the most common.
“Research on homesickness shows 35% of new students experience it, and a few will go on to develop depression. You’re leaving the comfort blanket of your home and school, which will naturally impact on your mental equilibrium. The effects can be quite significant.”
Here, Will shares his top tips to help new students take care of their mental health... 1 Bring a piece of home with you WE’RE not talking about the kitchen sink, but it’s worth bringing a couple of your home comforts that mean something to you. This attachment is known as essentialism, the idea that objects are more than just their physical properties.
While we still don’t know exactly why we make these connections, the comfort of having cherished items from home is real – which means bringing your favourite childhood blanket is totally valid (and can always be hidden should you have visitors). 2 Throw yourself into new challenges THERE’S no doubt taking that first step into a lecture theatre or the student union bar can be terrifying – but the very best solution is to do it anyway.