Is Uni life making you stressed?

With exams and many deadlines around the same time of year, it’s no wonder that most students feel the impact of stress at some point during university life. Current and up to date statistics show that you’re not alone if you are feeling some form of mental distress as a student.  With stress being the most common form of mental distress (80% of students that they have experienced stress during their time at university) , it is important to recognise when things might be becoming too much, and make yourself aware of what can be done to help (more than you might think!).

Why do students feel stressed?

 

There are many reasons why university can be a stressful time; moving away from home, getting used to the experience and the rising cost of being a student to name a few. The majority of reasons behind why students in particular are likely to experience some form of mental distress are primarily course and work related. Balancing studying and other commitments can be difficult, and sometimes it can feel overwhelming, and like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. Other contributors to mental distress in student life include financial difficulties, and trying to find a job alongside studying. There are many other contributing factors, and reasons for feeling low/distressed vary from person to person. However, one of the more shocking statistics is that 12% of students, when asked, felt that the reason for them feeling like this was that they did not know where to go to for support.

 

What does this mean?

The NUS mental distress survey results show that unfortunately, just over one quarter of students experiencing mental distress do not tell anyone. This can often lead to the problem or situation getting worse, and these results on their own show that students are not alone in this.

So, what can you do?

Even though talking to someone about how you’re feeling can be the most challenging step, it is more often than not the most worthwhile. There are plenty of people that you can talk to at university, such as academic staff, advice and support services at university or students unions, or even making the first step by starting the conversation with friends and family. Nightline can be called ( 0114 222 8787), if you feel like it’s too late to talk to someone but there are things worrying you and stopping you from getting a good nights sleep when you need it the most.

 

University is a challenging time for all students, and it’s important to try and keep in mind that most people will be feeling the same uncertainties about it at some point during their studies. Most importantly, it can sometimes be productive to step back for a minute and remember the positive reasons for you choosing to come to university, what your aims and positive ambitions for the future are, and how far you have already come to get in to university.

 

After all, university is supposed to be a fun time, and before you know it you’ll be graduating – so it’s important to make the most of it!