Oliver Cary: an increase in mental illness among students

In his latest column, Oliver Cary assesses the rise of instances of mental health illness amongst students.

The Mental Health Foundation has found that 50% of students have dealt with clinical anxiety at some point. Picture credits: Lyssa Darkness

University brings independence, and this is often associated with freedom, personal decision-making and endless opportunities for enjoyment. For many students, university is the stepping stone between late childhood and adulthood. It is a balance between study, socialising and first experiences with the ‘real world’.

But university can also bring pressure to graduate with a 2:1 or higher in a degree, to constantly improve a CV, or to work towards overall employability. Many employers value other skills such as communication, leadership and enterprise in their candidates as well as suitable work experience gained during your university career.

Education journalist Mike Baker wrote in his BBC article that employers are looking at these ‘soft skills’ second to academic requirements. He states that Deloitte LLP, employer of approximately 1, 200 graduates each year, have basic requirements of a 2:1 or higher and then hopefuls need other transferable skills and experiences to make it through the next screening process.

This increasing pressure of employment that runs concurrently with academic deadlines and financial concerns can be hard to cope with for an independent young adult. Layla Haidrani, a student at Kent University and contributor to The Independent, views the academic pressure, financial difficulties and anxiety of job guarantee as a major contributor to the increasing figures of mental health in students.

Does an extended use of social media contribute to negative feelings of self? Picture credits: Eminent Youth

Some students suffer from isolation, loneliness and chronic anxiety after loosing their mechanism for coping with the pressures of university life. Isolation can be increased by the extended use of social media, and in particular this generation’s dedication to purport a particular image of their university life and activities. It is difficult to feel happy when seeing friends having fun at their respective university, whilst you struggle with the pressures of your own.

Chronic anxiety and depression is a global health issue. Carol Midgley writes in The Times that depressive disorders will be the biggest international health issue by 2030, according to the World Health Organisation. At universities it is believed to be increasing also. The Times suggests that one in four students will encounter or experience a mental health issue. Similarly the Mental Health Foundation has found that 50% of students have dealt with clinical anxiety, and 10% clinical depression.

Whilst it seems staggering that university, a place of socialising, ‘partying’ and also extensive opportunity, can be so challenging for individuals, it is important that each institution recongnises the need for student support. Universities have counsellors, tutors and recently ‘Wellbeing Day’ on the 20th February. Symptoms are described on studentsagainstdepression.org as a combination of constantly feeling ‘low, sad, anxious or empty’ or all of these at once. Everyone deals with anxiety daily, and it is not to say feeling the pressure of university means that one is experiencing clinical anxiety or even depression.

Charlotte, a student, has battled with depression as a teenager. She explains to Carol Midgley that she was a perfectionist and placed pressure upon herself to excel academically. She realised that she didn’t seem to have a protective layer or coping mechanism to help her deal with the anxiety she felt. The hardest part was voicing her feelings, and admitting that she was struggling with her daily life. Now hoping to restart university this September, she believes that speaking to a GP helped her and ‘she didn’t necessarily know the answers, she was just kind and listened. That was what I needed’.

The pleasures and pressures of university are new to all students and it is part of our emotional development to come to terms with these feelings. Lucie Russell, from YoungMinds, understands that ‘young people need to build a resilience to navigate the world they live in’. At times this is challenging, and one should always use friends, family and professionals to help themselves become a strong and independent young person ready to engage and participate in society. All students face strenuous times, but they are not alone, and seeking help is not a sign of weakness but of intended self-belief and recovery.

The Time to Change campaign in Birmingham aims to get the public talking about mental health in a more open way. Picture credits: Time to Change Campaign

Fighting mental health issues alone seem insurmountable. Charlotte and others found sharing their difficulties with family, GPs or university counsellors as the hardest but most helpful solution. Isolation and anxiety can be dealt with, and recognising this is the first step to recovery.

Does a year abroad offer a lifetime of success?

Finding a job after university has always been a challenge and the number of applications to the UK’s leading employers is increasing year on year. This begs the question, how can you make sure your application sticks out from the rest? Dan Cash looks at how a year or semester abroad can boost your employability prospects.

Where to? A semester or year abroad is increasingly available to thousands of students across various disciplines. Picture credits: StarkLM

Studying or working abroad as part of a degree programme is growing both in accessibility and popularity. A compulsory part of any language student’s four years of study is to wave goodbye to Exeter and touch down in countries all over Europe, and indeed Africa and Latin America. Whether they spend their Saturdays sipping cocktails on the seaside in sunny Spain or drinking vodka with breakfast in Russia, they give most of their time to improving their language skills. However, with more courses than ever offering their students the opportunity to board a plane and experience life in a foreign country, the year abroad is by no means restricted to people wishing to learn a new language. In fact, a semester or year abroad is available to thousands of students across various disciplines. From studying at another university, to gaining work experience at a business, to teaching through the British Council, a year abroad provides you with a  chance to learn and improve a whole range of skills that you may not find from three years at university.

 

A guaranteed boost to the CV?

For one thing, the year abroad shows that you are an independent and self-motivated person. A huge part of anybody’s experience of living abroad is learning how to take care of number one. There is no relying on a parent, a sibling or a life-long friend when you are hundreds or thousands of miles apart. Everything that you do, from food shopping to seeing a doctor when you fall ill, is solely down to you. From this independence spawns maturity and the ability to make decisions; skills that any employer will value.

Standing out from the crowd: the year abroad might just be that golden ticket. Picture credits: Susanne13

The problems and situations that students abroad are faced with are diverse. They range from going to a friend’s house for dinner and being served a local delicacy that turns your stomach, to a rail strike that results in all train services being cancelled and preventing you from getting to and from your place of work or study. Overcoming these problems, no matter how big or small, shows employers how you cope when faced with difficult situations. There are often questions on application forms and in interviews requiring applicants to give an example of when they displayed good problem-solving. A year abroad will ensure that this question never goes unanswered.

Finally, one of the most valuable and unique skills that is acquired during a semester or year abroad is cultural awareness. In today’s world, many businesses thrive on globalisation while others battle to gain ground internationally. Having lived in a foreign country, a graduate who has studied or worked abroad will stand out to these international businesses. Living abroad demonstrates a global awareness and an ease with comprehending cultural differences. Not only this, but already having experience and an understanding of what it means to study, or indeed work abroad gives employers more reason to send you overseas again.

A year or semester in a foreign country is far from an easy experience. It is a challenge. There are ups and downs; highs and lows. However, it is in many ways a rewarding experience. You learn about another country, another culture, and another people. You learn about yourself and what you are able to achieve.

In a time where it is imperative to present yourself as best as possible to potential employers, a year abroad is priceless. When your CV or job application is sitting amidst a hundred others, you need to ensure it is one in a million. Perhaps a year abroad will make you stand out from the crowd.