The Power of Resilience and Determination

To mark 'Never Give Up Day' our sub-editors have come together to discuss the importance of being resilient and determined to succeed at university.

- Student Minds Blog Editorial Team

⭐ What makes resilience so important? ⭐ by Madeleine 

Setbacks can leave us feeling deflated and unmotivated. It can take time to feel back to normal, and it is important to do this in order to heal. Needing this time doesn't reflect a lack of resilience. Resilience is picking ourselves up after a difficult time and keeping going. Whether that be for our mental health, studies, or career. Being able to take lessons from hard times but still look forward to the future is an important skill. Resilience is something that can pull us out of a loop of looking backward to harder times and can help us to feel positive for the future.

I have learned how important resilience can be. After being in hospital for an episode of bipolar in 2020, it took time to heal and feel myself again. But I knew I needed to recognise when I was ready to participate fully in my life again- when it was time to have the courage to go and meet those friends I had maybe distanced myself from, or try something which put me out of my comfort zone. 

Resilience has gotten me through the aftermath of some dark times, as I am sure it has for many others. Building it takes experience and knowledge of what helped me through other difficult experiences. If you are going through a tough time and can't see a way out, just remind yourself of all the other times you felt like this- you've always made it through, so why would this time be any different. 

⭐ How can determination be your superpower? ⭐ by Taylor

Determination can be your superpower in university life, driving you to achieve your goals despite challenges. It's the inner force that keeps you pushing forward when faced with difficult exams, heavy workloads, or setbacks. With determination, you're able to stay focused on your ambitions, whether it's getting top grades, landing your first job, or mastering a new skill. This relentless drive ensures that you don’t just start strong but finish strong, turning your goals into realities.

Determination also helps you overcome obstacles that might otherwise derail your progress. When faced with a tough course or a disappointing result, determination pushes you to keep trying, study harder, or seek help when needed. It’s this persistence that differentiates those who give up from those who succeed. By refusing to be discouraged by temporary failures, determination helps you build resilience, confidence, and a stronger sense of purpose.

Beyond personal achievement, determination can also inspire those around you. Your commitment and perseverance can motivate your peers, foster collaboration, and create a supportive environment where everyone strives to do their best. In group projects, social circles, or extracurricular activities, your determination can lead to collective success, making it a superpower that not only elevates your own journey but also positively impacts others.

How are you getting involved this Never Give Up Day? Share with the team - we'd love to hear from you!

Find out how you can get involved with the Student Minds Blog on Never Give Up Day.

Written by the Student Minds Blog Editorial Team.

Procrastination: Why do we do it? My experience.

Alice shares her experience of how she reframed her mindset to see procrastination in a different way and how this has helped her to get things done.

- Alice

Procrastination: it is more than just being lazy, despite what some people may keep telling you. It’s not ignorance or blatantly not caring. It’s rooted a lot deeper. 

Now what exactly is procrastination? Think of something you really don’t want to do. You know you need to get it done but you unnecessarily and voluntarily put it off even if you know there will be negative consequences. This is what we call procrastinating, the act of delaying a task until the last minute.

I have sat at my desk many times wondering why I can’t just “get on with it”, why I’m a “failure” or simply how I’m too “dumb” to finish an assignment. But, getting so frustrated doesn’t help to move forwards, and it certainly doesn’t make me feel any better! Putting this into perspective, I look at the bigger picture and I know none of this is true. None of this is supported by any physical evidence, it’s just thoughts. That’s all it ever is. 

Procrastination is at the heart of everything I don’t do. It prevents me from completing anything I set out to do. This results in me doing assignments the night before they’re due, having a clothes pile in my room stacked up to the ceiling and buying a birthday gift an hour before the party. It’s stressful and overwhelming. It makes me feel useless at times, like I’m incapable of finishing the simplest of tasks.

I needed to retrain my brain to give myself a break and instil empathy for myself into my natural reaction to my ‘not getting things done’.  

I started to question my actions: why do I shy away from tasks? Why do I not start them until the last minute sometimes? The recurring theme here, for me, is avoidance. So, what do I avoid and why?

In my case, I would always put off my university work. I began to ask myself “how come?” and I would sit down at my laptop, looking at the screen, feeling worthless. You see, university work for me wasn’t just a degree, it was my whole self-worth. Grades, marks, certificates: they were all my validation. Without them? I was just nothing. I tied my self-worth with my educational progress. 

I began to realise… my procrastination was never about being lazy, it was a fear of failure, of not being good enough. Hence, to me, not trying and failing was a lot better than putting in all my effort and still failing. In my head, every piece of work reflected how worthy I was. 

There was a lot more on the line when my ego was also at risk. That was a lot of pressure to put on my shoulders. They always tell you that grades don’t define you and honestly, they don’t. However, when you’ve spent your whole life relying on grades to seemingly prove how ‘good’ you are, it becomes a habit that’s hard to escape. 

But, by questioning my reasons and thinking more about the deeper-rooted issue,  I began to have more compassion for myself. It allowed me to see which patterns I needed to break and allowed me to reflect on how I can work towards having a more positive relationship with university work.

For me, I decided to tackle this by addressing my self-esteem outside of university: to water the grass in all areas of life, not just the educational part. For so many years I had failed to realise how worthy I am as a whole. Whilst my academic success still means a great deal to me, I realised how I get to determine those things; they don’t get to determine me.  

So, have more kindness and empathy for yourself! Don’t jump to those initial negative opinions. It can take a lot more to be positive about ourselves but make sure you give yourself credit for who you already are, what you already do and how much you already give. 

You are so much more than a grade on a paper, a job you desire, or that shiny new thing you’re saving up to buy. Think of all the amazing things that exist because you do - like a bag you made, or a plant you water - and, more importantly, all the amazing things that are still to come! Reframe your thinking around the tasks that ultimately lead you to procrastination to make it suit you. Being positive about these challenges can help you to achieve your goals in a motivated and enjoyable way that means you can further appreciate your worth for it. For example, you could even try “I get to write an essay about a really interesting topic that I will get help and feedback on”. 

Sometimes it might feel like you’re lying to yourself but I feel reframing thoughts is a great tool. Hopefully it could help some of you too. Think about something you are putting off doing, now. What part is making you dread starting the task? Now flip it - what good is coming of the task being complete? Hold onto this thought… now go and do it!

Whether you are looking for support for your own mental health at university or supporting a friend, help is available.

Hi, I'm Alice :). I am a third-year maths undergraduate at the University of Reading. Next year I'm hoping to advance onto an MSc psychology conversion course, as my ambition is to have a career in psychotherapy. I wanted to share this story because I feel procrastination haunts us all. I know it haunts me. I wanted to be able to offer other people an insight into the reasons I procrastinate and what has helped me to slowly overcome it.

Are you the best version of yourself? Tips for setting boundaries and breaking habits.

Are you operating on an arbitrary set of rules? Laundry grows, lectures stack, last ate a vegetable a week ago? Is it all too much? In this blog, Christine talks about how bad habits can be challenging to shift but reflects on what it means for our well-being to set realistic goals. 

- Christine Jenkins

It may all seem well and great, being on your own: exploring your limits and finally being able to stay up past your bedtime on a school night. But these freedoms aren’t always as helpful as they seem fun and accumulating too many bad habits can have surprising consequences.

I have had too many readings pile up, too many dishes to do, too many takeaway pizzas, too many late nights (or more like early mornings!), and ‘too many’ too much. Recognizing that this version of yourself is not serving you is the first step in the right direction. 

But how do you start? 

You’re stuck in that old system version where you leave your clothes to pile up in the basket or you go the week without doing a single workout. Making new habits is hard, and breaking old habits is even harder.  

Well, to start off, your good days are not always going to look the same. What your 100% looks like today, will probably look different tomorrow; but the point of keeping good habits is that they make your bad days a little more bearable. Good habits make time an ally for you; they serve to protect you in the future. 

The best advice I have ever received was to start setting some non-negotiables. Every day you study for an hour, eat a vegetable, or throw one load of laundry. Once you set your non-negotiables, there’s no arguing with it. You create a system, which in turn becomes your safety net; not only this, but probable behaviours will reinforce less probable behaviours. In other words, because you ate one vegetable, you might as well eat another. You finished your food and are heading to the sink anyways, so you might as well do that dirty dish in your hand. Already doing that dirty dish, might as well do the rest of the dishes. You have then created that habit of doing the dishes after you’ve eaten and you never have to deal with an overflowing sink and you’ll always have that mug ready for your next cup of tea. 

The reward? You’re a responsible person that does your dishes. This mindset shift will serve you in the long run, this quick hit of satisfaction will make change enjoyable. Letting go of unhealthy habits will protect you from the corrosive effects of staying stuck in a system that won’t help you achieve that version of yourself that you want. Because you studied for an hour, you might feel inclined to keep going. 

Again, your 100% looks different every day, so because you can do three hours of studying today, doesn’t mean you have to do the same tomorrow. Go back to doing one hour of studying.  All this to say, take of yourself on your bad days, when you’re not the best version of yourself. Some good habits are easier to follow than others. Sometimes just washing one dish is enough, sometimes you stay up till the sun rises again, and sometimes getting out of bed is the triumph. These days you have to be extra kind to yourself, but your good habits will make room for you to mess up.

Explore tips and resources to help you navigate university life in Student Minds’ Transitions guide.

Christine Jenkins is an Undergraduate Psychology student at Cardiff University and is looking to promote healthy habits, awareness, and well-being with others. She spends her spare time reading books, attending the Book Club Society and managing the Pen Pal scheme. 

On the way home

Elishba reflects on travelling home for the Christmas holidays and how this period can be used to learn from and let go of the last year.

- Elishba

She’s always looked but never really seen, 

The way the window frame captures the scene, 

The beautiful landscape tinted in gold, 

As the winter sun touches the icy cold, 

Behold, a priceless treasure of trees, 

Standing tall after shedding their leaves, 

Letting go of what was to start anew, 

Bare branches that heal through the winter’s dew, 

With remnants of autumn leaves scattered at the feet, 

Like gold dust sprinkled to fertilise the tree, 

Forever a part of the necessary growth, 

The growth that only comes from being at home.

Whether you are looking for support for your own mental health or supporting a friend, help is available.

My name's Elishba and I am a graduate now back to work with students. I completely understand the pressures around this time of year and how they can take a toll on you as a student. I want this poem to be reassuring, that you can stop and recharge your batteries in the comfort of your home.

Faith or faithfulness: Reflecting on the role of spirituality in the mental health of university students

Ronalds shares his experiences of supporting university students as a Mental health Advisor.

 - Ronalds Busulwa

It is 2018 and I have just started a job at one of the universities in the UK. The first day was hectic, my brain was overloaded with information, meeting different faces in a short space of time. My emotions were in overdrive with a sprinkle of anxiety. My role as a Mental Health Advisor (MHA) was new at that University therefore I had to start from scratch. I was excited, you see, I am a mental health nurse (best decision I have ever made), this was my first job outside the NHS, and nothing compares to the privilege of engaging with university students. The more I supported students the more rewarding it was.

What does an MHA do to improve the learning experiences for students? Firstly, I had to draw on equality, diversity and inclusion while treating every student as an individual, actively listening to what they said, and what they didn’t. It gave me a holistic insight into the experiences of university students. I quickly learned about what I refer to as ‘reverse assessment’, meaning students were assessing me as I was assessing them, and they chose what to tell me or not to tell. Many worried if any disclosure about mental health could impact their studies negatively. I had to develop a strategy for how to encourage students to share their difficult experiences so that the university could support them better. I revisited the most essential skill of MH nursing ‘establishing rapport'. Good rapport improves chances of a positive outcome, making both the professional and the one seeking support more human. Therefore, my objective was to remove this barrier of hierarchy to establish mutual rapport to encourage students to open up, rather than suffer in silence. Music and sports were great conversation starters amongst many other topics like climate change, world Injustice, even Brexit got a few mentions. 

Although they had a lot in common, I noticed an apparent difference between the mental health of students who practised faith or spirituality and those who did not. My curiosity was aroused, was this a coincidence? Does faith or spirituality play a role in the wellbeing of higher education students? Spirituality, faith, religion, and atheism are words that tend to be inflammatory, uncomfortable, sensitive, and often not used in the same sentence BUT, and this is a big BUT I thought it was safe to tackle the elephant in the room. Amongst the students I interacted with, those who reported practising some faith appeared to be more hopeful, positive and flourishing compared to those who were not. They reported praying for each other, worshipping together, studying scriptures, which created a positive support network. I asked students whether they believed there is a power bigger than them, interestingly those who identified as atheists usually said, “lol I don’t know!!!” Others who practised spirituality or faith usually mentioned that their belief in a deity or bigger power had helped them to be patient with themselves and felt loved.  Is it their Faith or Faithfulness that buffers higher education students' experiences against mental health challenges?  You see Faith is outside of the self, while Faithfulness focuses on the inside of the self. Faithfulness calls for one to be reliable, consistent, or trustworthy and in so doing it becomes a breeding ground for discipline and other positive traits. On the other hand, because Faith is concerned with an external force or object, it becomes the question of how reliable and trustworthy that which they believe in, is. In other words, whether is it the student’s faithfulness to their faith or the power of their faith that gives them a buffer against mental health challenges; either way the outcomes tend to be positive.

Here is what I know, most faiths, religions and spiritual beliefs are underpinned by similar principles; love, compassion and empathy. As nurses, this is our bread and butter. Overall, interacting with students for me remains a privilege and I hope that no matter what they believe in, I will continue to support students. I have learned that showing a student compassion, empathy or treating them with respect can be as effective as medication or any other intervention. A simple act of noticing something new about a student and verbalising it to them, verbalising something nice about them, a “how are you today?” and actually listening to them without interruption. Sometimes students may share something they know they can’t fix but just listening can be very therapeutic. Empathy is like when someone falls into a ditch and you hear them shouting, you then get a ladder and climb down into the ditch just to be with them and listen.

For help and support, please visit Student Minds.

I am a 2nd year PhD student at the University of Huddersfield. I am exploring the role of faith in the mental health of black students at University in the UK. I am also a Mental Health Nurse and Addictions Counsellor and prior to my current job I was working as a University Mental Health Advisor (MHA) for students. I am sharing my experiences while supporting students as a MHA because I think they will find them useful and to help those who find it difficult to seek support.

How movement, mindfulness, and time outside help me manage my mental health

Ginger shares how she combines mindfulness, movement, and time outdoors to manage her mental health and wellbeing.

- Ginger Abbot

Just like my journey to health and wellness is unique to me, everyone has their own journey that they can follow towards leading a more mindful, healthy, and fulfilling life.

For me, mindfulness, movement, and time outdoors have been critical pieces of my wellness practice. Not only that — they’re habits that have improved my life for the better, which I plan to keep pursuing for years to come. While everyone is different and the mindfulness practices that work for me might not always work for others, I’m grateful for my ability to share my journey.

When I began my wellness journey, there was so much I didn’t know. And while I still have a lot to learn, picking up my three key habits has been a transformative experience. Whether I’m on the ball with my wellness game or I have a lazy day, the positive impact of my commitment to wellness is able to carry me through. Here are some of the ways that I implement healthy habits for mental health, and how mindfulness helps manage mental health in my world.

1. Mindfulness, little by little

Mindfulness is defined as the practice of remaining grounded in the present moment by using the sensations, sounds, and visual elements around you. 

When I first started out with mindfulness, this was a sort of daunting idea, so instead of trying to engage in mindfulness constantly, I found little moments that could serve as venues for my mindfulness. Over time, it grew bigger and bigger, as habits often do.

2. Finding activities I love

Everybody pretty much knows about the benefits of exercise for mental health — releasing endorphins, improving your mood, and fostering the connection between the mind and body.

However, sometimes exercise can feel like a drag. It’s okay to admit that working out takes effort. If it didn’t, I’d probably be doing it wrong. The key for me that actually helps me stick to it is finding activities that I truly enjoy doing. I don’t love hitting the gym, but I do love taking walks outside, doing yoga, and riding my bike. These are activities that I find easy to return to again and again.

3. Getting outside once a day

This one will likely come as no surprise, as I’ve been vocal about how time outside improves mental health. I can’t always explain it logically, but going outside often makes me feel better, even when I’m having a particularly bad day.

Research shows that spending as little as 10 minutes a day in green spaces can improve mood and reduce stress. While I enjoy getting outside for longer than that, sometimes a little bit is all I need.

4. Fostering the mind-body connection

One of the biggest parts of improving my mental health with wellness practices has been fostering and recognising the connection between my mind and my body.

Before I had a strong handle on the direct impact of wellness practices on my health, it was sometimes hard to stick to them. But when I make a point to notice the way mindfulness meditation makes me feel in my body or the mental payoff of a great workout, it’s much more motivating to stick to my practices.

5. Combining my practices

My biggest and most helpful tip for using mindfulness, movement, and outdoor time to manage my mental health is combining my practices. Often, I get into a wellness headspace when I want to accomplish some of these tasks for the day, and doing them at once can often give me all the benefits I need without the possibility of stopping and not returning to my wellness.

I love to practice yoga, which combines mindfulness and movement into one. I love to work out in nature or practice mindfulness walking meditations when I want to have a more active mindfulness practice. Often, this can be the push I need to get on a bit of a roll.

6. Movement, mindfulness, and nature

While my mental health won’t be the same as anybody else’s, I still believe that these habits can enact some positive change in anyone who is open to it. What are some of your favourite wellness practices?

Find out more about what you can do to improve your wellbeing on Student Space.

Ginger Abbot is a student life and education writer who is currently enrolled in graduate school part-time. She also serves as Editor-in-Chief for the online learning magazine Classrooms.

Adjusting expectations: How I have learned to manage work, mental health, and remote learning during COVID-19

Ginger shares her experience about managing work, mental health and her studies. 

- Ginger Abbot

Attending university always requires an openness to change. During my undergraduate years, it took some time to get used to living in a dorm room and making new friends. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, I was well into graduate classes and had a familiar routine. I did not know how to adjust to changes that left my life turned upside down and isolated at home.

While I navigated the new world of virtual courses, I was also working full-time and stressing about potentially losing my job or getting sick. Many others continue to feel the same way. Here are some tips I learned while managing work, mental health, and online classes.

1. Prioritise your free time

Prioritising your free time is crucial if you are studying while working full-time. You may become tempted to push through virtual assignments when you are not working. I fell into this habit because there were no social activities to break up my time.

However, by not taking a break, you are likely to experience symptoms of burnout. Experiment with self-care hobbies like reading or journaling to figure out how to take care of your mental health while learning online and working during the pandemic.

2. Schedule more virtual chats

Virtual classes left me feeling more isolated and overwhelmed than ever before. There was no shoulder to cry on or date nights with friends to vent about the stresses of grad school. At first, I retreated into my isolation, but it only made things harder. I quickly learned that managing online learning and work is easier with more virtual chats.

Ask your family and friends to schedule weekly calls. When I knew I would see my parents or my best friend every Tuesday and Thursday night, it gave my mental health a crucial anchor during turbulent times.

3. Give yourself grace

Taking a step back and readjusting expectations is a great way to learn how to adjust to change. Whether it was my grades or how long I could keep up perfect performance at work, I held myself to pre-pandemic standards. It turns out that it is much easier to excel when you don’t fear for your health and your job security.

Getting more sleep was a big part of resting and restoring my spirit. I set a 20-minute alarm every day to master the power nap and get the rest my body needs to handle intense stress. It is a simple practice anyone can use, but you should also give yourself the grace to explore other self-care avenues and ease your anxiety.

4. Find new motivations

Getting to hang with friends or go on a holiday were my biggest motivators. Without them, I felt lost. I did not feel that crucial sense of purpose until I decided to find new motivations while managing online learning and work.

My new motivations became resting during power naps and finishing each day with the pride that comes from taking care of myself. Even little steps like eating a healthy meal became something that I celebrated. It renewed my self-confidence and strengthened the new motivations that have carried me through this last year.

5. Check-in with yourself

My final piece of advice for students who work full-time is to check in with yourself every day. If your routines add stress or make life more complicated, make the adjustments you need to find a balance.

Change is the only expected part of life now. Anyone who wants to learn how to care for your mental health while learning online should expect care routines to change too. When I ask myself if something is still working, I am open to changing even the most minor details if they do not support my well-being.

6. Learn to manage work, school, and life during covid-19

Adjusting your expectations while managing work, mental health challenges, and remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a hard battle. Even on my best days, I do not expect anything to remain permanent.

I began to feel more confident and comfortable with my new routines after giving myself more grace and tried new things to find balance in an ever-changing world. After returning to face-to-face learning, I will continue to benefit from these adjustments that helped me through the difficult time. I hope you can find some of these helpful too!

Visit Student Space for further support with your mental health or emotional wellbeing. 

Ginger Abbot is a student life and education writer who is currently enrolled in graduate school part-time. She also serves as Editor-in-Chief for the online learning magazine Classrooms.

The importance of living one day at a time

Gee explains why sometimes, on the bad days, it's better to be 'lazy'.

- Gee Hughes

When I was at my lowest, my mind was a bleak place. Imagine being on autopilot — maybe when you’re out on a jog and your brain wanders off in a different direction to your body, or you’re staring at your lecturer after a long night out and you realise there’s not one single productive thought rummaging around in your head. That sort of thing. Well, that was me. For months and months and months. 

Depression is a vast and all-encompassing thing. Like the world’s most emotionally toxic hoover, it sucks all the joy from your life and leaves a dull, senseless blob in its wake. Your happy moments become fleeting and quick to fade into the background. Your bad moments seem to take up so much space within your body that you feel the physical presence of it pulling at you, incessant and exhausting. It really can feel like you’re drowning.

Ironically however, the hardest part for me was never the illness itself. The hardest part was the healing process. You see, my depression has always come and gone in waves, and so it was reasonable to assume that this, like every other bout of sadness I’d had before, would pass. So naturally, I began to work toward pulling myself out of the hole that my depression had dug for me, which, apparently, was a great thing to start doing. My therapist supported it. YouTubers, Instagrammers, self-help authors all gushed about it. 

There was just one issue: I had depression. Every goal I set, I failed to achieve. Every evening that I set aside to go on runs would end with me curled up in bed. At every turn, my mental illness pipped me to the post and dashed any hopes I had of creating a healthy routine. This, unsurprisingly, made me feel even worse. I felt like a failure, unable to complete even the most basic of tasks that all these self-help people swore by. If so-and-so on Instagram could post a quaint little infographic on how their daily walks changed their life, why couldn’t I do the same? What was wrong with me? 

It took a long time for me to work out that there was a simple answer to my question: nothing was wrong with me at all. I just needed to live one day at a time. Is it good to have a productive routine that makes you feel better? Yes, absolutely. Is it helpful to obsess over attempting to create said routine, when you are mentally exhausted and physically unable to facilitate those routines? No. 

When you are depressed, your most important task becomes making it through to the next day in good health. So stop the goal-setting, just for a little while. If the homework is due in a week’s time, don’t beat yourself up about being unable to start it now. Do whatever needs to be done for tomorrow instead. If all the healthy options in your fridge are horrendously out of date and all you have left are tasteless chicken nuggets, then stop feeling guilty and just help yourself to some. The fact that you’ve eaten is good enough to see you through to the next day. And from there, who knows? There’s an infinite number of things that could happen in the 24 hours that follow. So live one day at a time. 

It may take some time, but eventually you’ll start to notice the things you didn’t before, like the fresh flowers on your neighbour’s windowsill, or the fact that you’re walking back to your flat instead of taking the bus. It’s then that you can give those routines another shot, because you’ll no longer be burdened by the smaller downfalls that were previously consuming your life.         

One thing that has taken me a while to learn, but I’ve found invaluable in my journey toward loving myself a little more, is that it’s perfectly fine to spend a little while doing absolutely nothing to try and ‘better’ yourself. A doctor wouldn’t ask a patient with a broken leg to start walking to work when they’re only two minutes out of surgery, after all. So please, treat your mind with the same care, and just go back to bed. Maybe take some ice cream with you. I promise, you’ve earned it. 

Visit Student Space for further support. Explore online resources, access direct support via text, phone, web chat or email and find the support available at your place of study.  

My name's Gee, I'm eighteen years old, and throughout most of my teenage life, I've been dealing on and off with depression. This manifests itself in a lot of ways, including my education, but I hope that by telling my stories, I can make life better for someone out there.

Wellbeing Boxes

Linda shares her experience with wellbeing boxes and mental health during lockdown.

- Linda

During the first lockdown, I had a nice routine. I went on a walk every day. I would abandon Google Maps and venture anywhere and everywhere. I drew on most days, sent postcards, and sang. I called my dad most days to gossip about my siblings whilst he was drinking his afternoon tea. I saw that the usually shy sun was showing its face, so instead of battling on with my masters, I put my work on hold and soaked up the sun. The pandemic was not ideal but I was determined to make the most out of it. Well, that was when I thought that it would only be a couple of weeks. By the third lockdown, cold winter came with an even colder reality: that the pandemic was not going away anytime soon. I felt like a passive recipient of life and time was sliding away sluggishly. Fun times! 

I know that I am extremely lucky that, apart from some inconveniences, my life has been unscathed by the pandemic. I was lucky to have a stable job. And, though I might have been far away from my family, I had friends who lived locally enough for me to go on walks with them. It could have been so much worse. But counting my blessings didn't erase the pain or difficulty I was still experiencing. In December, depression had ensnared me yet again. It started with a persistent case of tonsillitis that left my body frail and fatigued. Still, I couldn’t stop; I was juggling so many things and many of them had already crashed to the ground. I was immensely bitter from a break-up and … well, even more lonely. The last straw was the drastic – but of course, necessary - change to the Christmas bubbles which meant that I was spending my first Christmas without family, all alone with my increasingly unhappy thoughts. My routine completely fell apart. I stopped cooking, forgot to grocery shop, and would sporadically clean. Occasionally, I’d have bursts of energy where I’d face up to adult life, but like lit matches, that fire was easily extinguished. 

But something changed last week when I learned about wellbeing boxes. It is simple really. You get a box, and you put together specific activities and the things that you will need to complete the activities. So, it is not just, “I am going to put on a face mask at some point this week." It is planning how long the activity will take and getting the face mask ready. So, I decided to put together a wellbeing box for myself. After all, when I am not working, sleeping, or eating, I am kind of just sitting around waiting for time to pass or stuck in my own head. So, I started to think about how self-care works for me. I know many people like to try out new recipes, but cooking can be a struggle for me. Because I am often inconsistent with cooking, eating, and buying food, I need my meals to be simple and low in effort, otherwise, it is draining. However, when it comes to drawing, I am always filled with ideas and inspiration. For the most part, I always have what I need as my room is filled with art and craft materials and books accumulated over the past five years. 

So, as I was organising my wellbeing box, it hit me that being specific and, in some respects, having constraints, are the secret ingredients that I have been searching for all my life. Sometimes, the myriad of decisions and options can be overwhelming. I end up spending more time thinking about what I will do instead of actually doing things. However, with my wellbeing box, I take a vague concept like improving my singing and make it manageable. Instead of thinking about the songs that will suit my voice, I have printed out specific songs that I want to learn. I have a hard copy so that I can practice away from my phone and I have set myself half an hour for any song so I have time to warm up, remember the lyrics, and practice the song. Therefore, when I get ready to actually do something, I don't have to invest a lot of time or effort in planning. So, if you're struggling with feelings and experiences that are similar to mine, I would definitely recommend that you put together a wellbeing box. 

If you would like to find out more about putting together a wellbeing box, have a look at this resource:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnuamrBVjw4.

For additional resources on managing your mental health during lockdown, please click here.

I am Linda. I did a BSc in Psychology at the University of Warwick and now I am studying a MSc in Psychological research and working part-time. 

How are you? Yes, you!

Hilal talks about taking a step back to ask ourselves how we are, especially during these unprecedented times.

- Hilal Ozduru

How are you? Three words that can open up an entire story.

When asked, how often do we reply with “I’m okay”? We often wait until someone asks how we are but what if no one asks? How often do we, yes you included, actually take time away from our hectic schedules to sit down and genuinely ask ourselves this question? We deserve a chance to get everything that is pent up off our chests, don’t we? We tell each other, friends and family, that they are not a burden on us when they open up and let you in with what’s troubling them. So, why don’t we give ourselves this opportunity too?

Speaking for myself, I have never been good at opening up and would let my thoughts get to me. I would just try to push it all to one side because I didn’t want to burden anyone else or even myself. I have this habit of walking around, up and down my room for hours sometimes, letting my mind wander and worrying about everything that could go wrong. Worrying about my studies, to my health and of those around me, to everything going on around the world. I would like to think that I am getting better at airing out my thoughts to those who care to ask, but I know I have a way to go before I am a 100% there.

We are the one person who we spend the most time with every day. Surely, we owe it to ourselves to get to know our own self better? Sit down when you get the chance. Ask yourself how you are doing. Don’t be afraid to talk to yourself or to be open with yourself. Be you, you have nothing to lose. Encourage yourself. Be kind to yourself. You deserve you. Hear yourself out and go through what is troubling you and what you can be thankful for currently. Take what you’ve said and embrace it, and any changes you have to make for yourself to be happier. Change is not always bad. Take care of yourself, but please do not solely rely on yourself. You might tell yourself that you can handle it or that this is the way you’ve always done it, but take it from me, it’s not worth it. Find someone you trust and cherish them. But remember, finding and cherishing yourself is important too. This balance is important. Always and forever, please remember, you are someone to someone.

Visit Student Space for further support. Explore online resources, access direct support via text, phone, web chat or email and find the support available at your place of study.

Hello, I am Hilal, former Sociology undergraduate and current MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice student with a love for writing. This was my first post on my own small blog, called herewithh, that I am still very proud of.  I was inspired to write this after asking myself how I am doing. Hopefully, in sharing my thoughts, other people reflect honestly on how they are doing.

Feeling like you're not being productive enough

Emma shares her poem on success and productivity to remind us to be kinder to ourselves when reflecting on what we’ve achieved in a day

- Emma Carlisle  

I wrote this poem during the first lockdown when the sudden change, loss of routine and social interactions left me struggling for motivation. I felt a lot of pressure to be making the most of the extra time I had gained from not having to go anywhere and was beating myself up every night before bed for not having been (in my eyes) productive enough that day. I feel that the concept of “productivity” can easily become quite toxic and impact your mental health. Therefore, it’s important to remind ourselves that all the little things we do each day like looking after ourselves, putting out the bins etc are all worthy of a pat on the back, as with every little step we take we are progressing. So if you ever have an “off” day and start getting annoyed at yourself for not having done enough, I hope you can bring to mind this poem and use it to help you change the way you’re judging your day and consequently be kinder to yourself. You’re doing a lot better than you think.

Find out more about what you can do to improve your wellbeing on Student Space.

 

I’m Emma and I’m in the third year of a chemistry undergraduate degree. Having struggled with poor mental health on and off during my time as a student due to putting too much pressure on myself to do well academically, I hope to be able to give some advice to those facing similar struggles.  

Sleep rituals for school

Stacy shares her tips for getting a better night’s sleep as a student.

- Stacy

I never struggled with sleep in high school. Sports, academics and extracurricular activities kept me busy and by the time I came home, I could barely keep my eyes open. That all changed when I went away to college. 

In college I didn’t play sports and was strictly there to focus on academics. I had never struggled with coursework in high school, but the intensity, autonomy and pace of college classes made me fall behind quickly. I started looking toward the study habits modelled by successful peers around me.

Many students would hit the library late in the evening, staying there until early in the morning. Thinking that this was normal, I aligned my study schedules with classmates to make sure I could study with them. Coffee became as normal as drinking water and at times I felt like I was merely taking breaks to go buy more fuel for studying. 

Since I was also working part-time during college, my circadian rhythm went awry. I would study all night, get back from the library late, sleep for a few hours and then wake up early to go to work and then class, doing it all over again. Some nights I deemed it easier not to sleep at all since I had drank so much caffeine to study. It became a twisted cycle and although I was studying more, I didn’t see it reflected in my grades. 

When classes ended, I still felt the impending anxieties of future deadlines and exams when I laid my head down to sleep. It was like sleep was no longer a time for rest, but a time for guilt. 

I tried turning on music, TV or watching videos on my phone to tire me out, but the blue light would simply strain my eyes. I would sit up and count how many hours I had until my next shift or class. 

I quickly learned after consulting a sleep therapist that my stress around academics had manifested itself in the form of sleep deprivation and was taking a toll on my body and quality of life. My doctor showed me studies that proved adults need consistent sleep routines and told me to say goodbye to my library night owl friends. 

I had all the signs of poor sleep hygiene and she recommended a few bedtime rituals to help me wind down after studying. I’d like to share what worked for me with you. 

3-4 Hours Before Bed

Setting an artificial “end to the day” is important for workaholics who will likely take their coursework to bed or keep studying up until it’s time to sleep. You need to allow your body and mind time to rest before sleep as it’s difficult to switch from focus to sleep. That could mean changing your location, physically leaving your desk or the library, or scheduling a workout with a friend to help you close the book on your work.

1-2 Hours Before Bed

Practicing some form of mindfulness can be very helpful for handling stress and releasing the cortisol or stress hormone that lurks in your body. Dr. Herbert Benson, director emeritus of the Harvard-affiliated Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, recommends practicing mindfulness during the day, ideally for 20 minutes. “The idea is to create a reflex to more easily bring forth a sense of relaxation,” he says. That way, it’s easier to evoke the relaxation response at night when you can’t sleep.

60 Minutes Before Bed

Turn off your phone! You might have a million reasons to keep your phone on and next to you while you sleep, but even the lingering awareness that it’s there can hurt your chances of sleep. Screens from phones emit blue light that stimulates your body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm), keeping your mind and body awake. Buy an electronic alarm clock to wake you up and keep your phone off and across the room while you sleep. 

I hope that these bedtime rituals can help you the way they helped me. If you are experiencing serious levels of stress you should consult a medical professional. 

Learn more about how you can look after your wellbeing on Student Space.

Hi there! I’m Stacy, an alumna from San Diego State University. I enjoy sharing my personal experiences with stress and offering holistic approaches to cultivating mental health. I’m currently working as a Content Marketing Specialist for Siege Media.

Introducing creative writing to the blog

Student Minds introduces creative writing to the blog.

- Hannah Vile

Here, at Student Minds, we believe that no one should be alone in their mental health struggles and encourage everyone to talk, or write, about what they are experiencing. We are a safe space for people to share their stories and are so thankful for the countless posts that have been written for us by people sharing their advice, tips, and experiences with mental health. It has been a true indicator of the strength in people, as well as the power of writing. 

Now we would like to open the Student Minds Blog up to creative writing. 

From my own experience, I have found creative writing to be an incredibly helpful tool in working through hard times. When I finished university, I found myself in a difficult place. Feelings of self-doubt and worry about life that had been building for a few months seemed to amalgamate when I moved back home. It was the combination of finishing university, moving back home, a recent breakup and difficulty finding a job that seemed to solidify the negative thoughts in my mind. When you’re surrounded by so many endings, and then move into a stagnant period in your life such as living at home during a pandemic, it’s hard to move forward and not downwards. 

After a period of consistently feeling down, I wanted a project to distract myself and so I turned to creative writing and wrote a fictional story for my sister. Creative writing was a great way of losing myself in a whole different world. It was nice to write something adventurous, funny, and irrelevant to my life. I know journaling and blogging are also useful and great ways of expressing your emotions, but at the time non-fiction writing seemed a little close to giving more attention to the negative voice in my mind, so I opted for creative writing instead. Whilst it was originally a project to distract myself, by completing a creative activity that I enjoyed and that was entirely for myself, it acted as a reminder that I was still a capable person and had a lot to give to the world. 

Creative writing deserves a place on the Student Minds Blog and so we would like to open it for you to send in your stories and poems you’ve written for your mental health. 

We will accept short stories up to 1000 words and poems up to 30 lines for now, one story or poem per submission. You are also welcomed to contribute your creative work as part of a usual blog post, we would love to hear stories behind a particular piece. We also ask that the content and language used is in keeping with the blog guidelines. More info on this can be found on the write for the blog page. 

We are so excited for this new chapter of the Student Minds Blog and look forward to reading your creative work! 

To find out more about writing and submitting a blog or creative writing piece for us, please see our page write for the blog or email blog@studentminds.org.uk. If you have any questions, please get in touch by email. 

I’m Hannah and I have recently graduated from Exeter university with a degree in English. My time at university taught me that there isn’t enough awareness and support for young people with mental health difficulties. I am excited to be working with a platform that supports students and enables their voices to be heard.

Staying Positive During Lockdown

Carolina shares tips and tricks on how to stay positive during lockdown measures.

-Carolina Clarke 

2021 is a fresh start. After the events of 2020 and a virus that has caused 2 million deaths so far, 2021 is a chance at a hopeful future, for life to return to normal. The release of a vaccine provides us with hope, but there is still much work to be done. People worldwide need to be vaccinated and others continue to fall victim to this virus. So how does one stay positive during this uncertainty? Keep reading to learn tips and tricks to stay positive during these difficult times.

1. Journaling

According to an article on the website Positive Psychology, journaling has a variety of positive benefits including boosting your mood, enhancing your sense of well-being, reducing symptoms of depression, improving your memory, and reducing intrusive thoughts. With many of us being under lockdown orders, it can be isolating and may contribute to feelings of depression. Journaling can help us deal with these emotions.

2. Listening to music

Think about the last time you listened to music and how it transported you to a moment in your life where you were so blissfully happy. Music can affect our mood and allows us to escape the realities of everyday life. During times of struggle, it reminds us of better moments. Maybe it was a dance party you had with your best friend when you were ten years old, or maybe it was the song that way playing when you had your first kiss. Our experiences define who we are and by listening to music attributed to positive moments it can alleviate the feeling of isolation.

3. Connecting with others virtually

In lieu of being able to see people in person, virtual platforms like Zoom and Skype are great ways to connect with friends. Treat it as you would if you were going to go out and see them. Dress up and designate a specific date and time. Looking our best can help us lift our spirits. Think about the last time you put on a nice outfit, you stood more confidently and felt better about yourself. While we understand that getting dressed up all the time during quarantine is not realistic, we challenge you to do it every now and then. Having a hard time dealing with your emotions or health conditions? Find online support networks that can connect you with others going through the same thing.

4. Disconnecting from social media/news

While we acknowledge the importance of staying up to date on what is happening, it can be a lot. This can sound contradictory to the previous statement about staying connected virtually, but there is a difference between communicating with friends versus endless scrolling through social media. Every day we are bombarded with so much online content and feelings of needing to measure up to others. Try limiting yourself to checking social media only once a day. It can be easy to compare yourself to how others are coping during the pandemic but remember that you are doing your best and you don’t need to prove it to anybody else.

5. Engaging in a favourite hobby

If you are feeling up to it, engage in a hobby that you like or pick up one you may have abandoned in the past. Whether that is something like painting, carpentry, writing, etc. When we perform a hobby that we enjoy, we feel happier and more relaxed. It provides us a way to refocus our energy on something else and engage in something meaningful. Feeling brave? Show members of your household what you did. Everybody deserves to have their skills and abilities acknowledged.

In short, it may seem difficult to stay positive during lockdown. However, by engaging in one or more of the following activities, our hope is that you can find an outlet to manage your emotions and feelings. Our routines and life as we know it have been flipped upside down, so be gentle with yourself, you are stronger than you know! 

Whether you are looking for support for your own mental health at university or supporting a friend, help is available. 

Carolina Clarke is a recent graduate and copywriter at DMP (Diabetes Management Platform). As lockdown measures continue to drag on and affect mental health, Carolina hopes to share ways to help deal with the isolation felt and maintain a positive attitude during these difficult times.