My name is Maria, and I am a doctoral researcher in education at Tampere University. As an educator and researcher, I appreciate the importance of good mental health from an academic perspective and a personal one.
In this blog post, I explore what it means to take care of your mental health as a student at Tampere University, I share some thoughts and experiences from other doctoral researchers, and I explain what resources are available for mental health support.
What Mental Health Looks Like for Students
Mental health is not just about big mental health crises—it’s also the little everyday struggles, like feeling stressed out or lonely. For students and researchers, there are many deadlines to meet and social pressures to keep up with. Most students are also far from home and have just moved to Tampere. Coping with all these demands together can put a strain on your mental health.
Mental health is something that we can see along a spectrum. The first feelings of lowered mental health tend to be mild, and we might think that it’s nothing too big. However, if we ignore our mental health, our symptoms could worsen, and it is easier to reach burnout. It is the same with our physical health! If you have sprained your ankle, you wouldn’t ignore the pain and keep running anyway. The same is true for our mental health. No matter how ‘small’ we think our struggles are, we should never ignore them.
Real Talk—Experiences From People at University
As I was writing this post, I asked some of my colleagues to share their thoughts, experiences and advice regarding mental health. Here is what they had to say:
“Good mental health is about having a balance between social relationships, work and family life. It is also about knowing that bad days are a normal part of life, and they do not overthrow your success or progress. The most struggles I’ve had with my mental health relate to the imposter syndrome, and having these negative thoughts that ‘I’m not good enough’. To cope with this, I have been in therapy, and I have used prescription medication. I know there is stigma about using medicine for your mental health, but it is the same thing as needing painkillers for any other thing. In university, I think the most important thing is to be open about your struggles. If you are behind with deadlines or studies, you can say it directly to your teacher and/or supervisor, and people are usually very understanding. Don’t try to just push through if you are feeling that you are drowning with all the work.”
“Good mental health for me means being able to uphold a good daily routine and feel content in my day to life, both and work and in my personal life. Some struggles I’ve had before have centred around insomnia and relying on external crutches for support to regulate my emotions. Having healthy habits in place concerning sleep and exercise, time in nature, practicing gratitude daily and reaching out to friends and family are the main ways that I take care of my mental health. It was extremely helpful to me that I had access to a work psychologist in a time of crises for the support I needed at the time. Find healthy habits and routines that work for you and tell yourself you are deserving of the care you give to yourself. Say one kind thing to yourself everyday.”
“Good mental health for me means a general feeling of well-being and positivity that helps me set and achieve my goals in my work and personal life. As a PhD student, the biggest struggle I face with mental health is in achieving a work-life balance to avoid burnout. To take care of my mental health I have been attending regular therapy sessions for the past two years. I also try to find time to slow down, give myself space to relax, and engage in regular physical activity with a group which helps to bring me ‘out of my head’ as well as provides me with a supportive community. The best support for my mental health at university at the moment comes from my supervisors who encourage me to prioritize my mental health. Make sure to surround yourself with people who lift you up and support you as much as possible. And if you feel that you are really struggling, speak up!”
“Good mental health is so important. I think I truly noticed what it means to me when I started struggling with it. I think the starting point for healing was when I went to talk about it to the psychologist. It was so refreshing to talk to someone who doesn’t know me. I realized that I had stopped to do everything that normally makes me happy, I didn’t go to the gym or yoga or didn’t meet up with my friends so often anymore because I was too tired. Then I decided that I must make a change. I think the best advice to the students who are struggling with mental health is that you are not alone! Talk to someone about it and call students’ health care to get some help. It really makes a difference. And try to do things that make you happy, every day, even if you don’t feel like it. It will make you feel better anyway.”
Quick Tips for Self-Care (No Fancy Stuff Required)
Indeed, there is no fancy stuff required to take care of mental health and small things can help. For example, remember to take breaks from study marathons, go for walks, chat with friends, listen to music, or do anything else that you enjoy doing. Mindfulness and relaxation techniques can sound boring at first—but they work!
Personally, I have found that keeping up social relationships has been the most important thing for my mental health. I have also found that physical activity (even just going outside for a walk) has helped my energy levels. This is especially through during the darker months in Finland. It is during these months that it can feel the hardest to remain sociable and physically active, but it is when we need it most!
Where To Get More Help
Thankfully, there are many resources for help at university! This page provides a detailed explanation of all the resources available. People are willing to listen, even when you need low-threshold support. For example, you can find a listening ear at the university chaplaincy, and at Navigaattori. More professional support can be found at the Student Healthcare Services. If you are in a crisis, remember that you can call 112 or contact Crisis counselling which is offered by Mieli ry Crisis Helpline. There is also available Valoa chatroom and the Professional mental health helpline.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
We all have bad mental health days, so let’s keep the conversation going. Share this post, or just ask your friend how they are. You never know, you might be reaching out to someone who is feeling alone.
