Many students feel stressed throughout their time in university. Settling into new environments, working around new schedules, and meeting new people may seem quite overwhelming - especially as an international student. These new challenges may also be amplified with factors such as homesickness or culture shocks, but all these feelings are normal and there is nothing you have to worry about. You are not alone and we are here to help you. Here are a few useful tips on how you can manage stress.
1. Dealing With Homesickness
Homesickness is natural. Whether you’re missing the food at home, your family, or your childhood friends, we all experience this in our way. The first step to dealing with homesickness is to accept that it is perfectly normal to feel this way and that it will pass.
Dig deep, try to think back to why you’re here in the first place. Studying abroad is a great opportunity for you to explore new things. It is also a great opportunity to challenge yourself and promote personal development. Looking at things from a positive light could also help you cope with homesickness.
Whenever you miss home, why not just call? With how far we’ve come with technology, your family or friends are only a few touches away. Although it is good to stay connected with home, try not to be too reliant on them. Try not to let yourself get to the point where you’re talking to people at home more than the actual people around you.
2. Create a Schedule
People often get stressed when they are feeling overwhelmed especially when having to settle into a new schedule at university that may be unfamiliar. Working around a schedule may help you cope with this feeling.
To create a schedule, simply list out all your day to day tasks while leaving some empty areas for tasks which may come up or for activities you would like to include. Breaking down your day into manageable chunks allows you to better manage your time. With better time management you will also be able to fit in leisure activities like running, cooking, or painting, which will help you manage stress.
3. Look After Yourself
Oftentimes when we are stressed we tend to forget to take care of ourselves thus putting us down a spiral or poor health, both physically and mentally. Poor diet and lack of sleep are common problems faced by students which are associated with poor academic performance and increased stress.
With all this in mind, it is important to look after yourself. This could mean fitting in exercises regularly into your schedule, establishing a good sleeping pattern, and eating healthy. Staying healthy both physically and mentally will help you manage your stress, and also increase your overall happiness and performance at school.
4. Staying Positive
New environment may seem scary. Especially when you may feel like you’re experiencing it alone. Whether this is true or not, it is good to expose yourself to a new environment. It may require you to come out of your comfort zone but what you learn will definitely be worthwhile!
These new opportunities may present themselves differently. It may include new opportunities in terms of people you meet, employment opportunities, but the bottom line is whatever the opportunity may be, if you don’t embrace them you will never know.
Having a positive mindset towards new environments will allow you to discover new opportunities which you might not even realize.
Whatever the reason behind your stress is, it is unlikely that it will last long. Once you understand where your stress is coming from and dealing with it accordingly you will be able to manage it. Surely there will be stressful times every once in a while throughout your university life.