KEEPING YOUR HEAD AT UNIVERSITY

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GET SOME EXERCISE While most people are aware that exercise helps with mental and physical health, it is our minds that usually get in the way. Perhaps you’re not in the habit of exercising, or you’d rather watch Netflix. This is the time to practise defusion: evaluating thoughts based only on their usefulness to what’s important to us rather than if they’re true or not. Try adding the prefix “I’m having the thought that…” to any unhelpful thoughts to create space between your thoughts and actions.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF

It’s important to add variety to your actions to avoid becoming wrapped up in academic living. It could be learning a new language or instrument. Once you are settled, add a new challenge. Not only does this add positives to your life but it helps improve how you see yourself. You may feel you are not the sort of person to join a rowing team, but by doing so you can rewrite your self-stories – these are how you perceive yourself and can hold you back if they are too limiting.

CONNECT WITH PEOPLE The pandemic has hampered our ability to connect with others, but this connection is a big predictor of future mental health. Often it can feel preferable to stay at home rather than head out to a party where you have to talk to others, but this will not help in the long term. If you’re struggling to connect with others, be aware you haven’t seen life through their eyes. Hear their stories and look for a connection.

GIVE TO OTHERS Giving money or time is important and we often feel better about ourselves when we do. But there’s also the idea of giving

ourselves to others. This can be to partners, friends or family, but while a loving connection can bring fulfilment, it can make us feel vulnerable. If we give someone our heart, then they can break it and this can hold us back. Be willing to love, and accept that if we want the ups, we have to be prepared for the downs.

REMEMBER TO PRACTISE SELF-CARE

As well as caring for the physical self, you need to look after your psychological self. You are imperfect and you will mess up. Try to treat yourself with compassion. Envisage yourself as an eight-year-old child tripping over in the school playground. How would you comfort your younger self ? Apply some of that compassion to the adult you are today and try not to allow your self-critical thoughts to spiral.

EMBRACE THE MOMENT

This is about appreciating the time you have now and really seeing it. Look at the world around you with curiosity and gratitude because time only goes in one direction and you can never get it back. Think about how many times you look at social media in a lecture or seminar. Constantly having your attention pulled away means you often only retain 10 per cent of the teaching. Mindfulness can help us slow down and get better at noticing our thoughts and feelings.