President of Mind Your Head Society Jo Porter provides information on how to cope with leaving home for the first time.
After having successfully managed to ‘Tetris-pack’ everything deemed necessary (including of course two sombreros, an Aladdin’s jacket and a pirate sword… because you just never know) into my mum’s car, the inevitable pre-Uni jitters started to kick in. What if I had to live off baked beans and thin air on toast or live with someone prone to playing techno-beats at 3am every morning?
Photo Credit: beforethecoffee via Compfight cc
Being nervous before moving away to university is certainly natural. For many it’s the first time away from home– a stressful experience for anyone: “…So the washing powder goes in where?” Coupled with the pressure of hitting deadlines, building a new social life and beginning the pursuit of an answer to that age old question, ‘What am I actually doing with my life?” All of this makes it no wonder then that one in four students face mental health problems whilst at university.
Recent research by the NUS revealed that of the 92% of surveyed students who admitted to having experienced ‘mental distress’ the main causes were found to be course work, exams and financial difficulty. Amongst all of the fun and new experiences, it would certainly be a lie to say that university is not a stressful time. Aside from the obvious stresses, the unspoken pressure to ‘down it fresher’ really can leave you in some sticky situations. It’s worth knowing that according to DrinkAware no matter what mood you’re in when you start drinking: “when high levels of alcohol are involved, instead of pleasurable effects increasing, it’s possible that a negative emotional response will take over”. All of this shows it’s important to stay on top of your mental wellbeing whilst at university.
Let’s not forget that amongst all this, university can be the experience of a lifetime and of course, half the pre-term anxieties turn into nothing: the closest I got to a techno-playing neighbour was a flat of people prone to an Abba sing along after a night out, and who can really say no to that? But if your Freshers’ Week doesn’t turn out to be everything you hoped for; if your work-load suddenly starts to look like Mount Everest or if you are already coping with a pre-existing mental health condition, remember that you are not alone.
If mental health is important to you, find out more about the University of Exeter’s Mind Your Head society, who promote awareness about mental health issues and campaign to break down the associated stigma, here. Or why not come and see us during Freshers’ Week? Details of our events will be available online.
If things do start getting a bit much, don’t forget, you can always get in touch with Voice, a student operated phone service able to offer immediate support and provide information and advice about what to do next. Of course, the student wellbeing centre (which offers evidence-based therapies by trained professionals) will be there for you and your mental health throughout all of your time at the University as well.
So, best get those fancy dress classics packed up. Oh, and don’t forget that gift stationary… who knew a person could need so many post-it notes?!
Jo Porter
For help with any and all mental health concerns, contact Exeter Voice or University of Exeter Wellbeing Centre. Is the stigma of mental health intensified in the student community? Is enough being done to make students aware of the resources available to them? Leave a comment below or write to the Comment team at the Exeposé Comment Facebook Group or on Twitter @CommentExepose.
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