Your physical and mental wellbeing is important, because how can you wake up and do a fantastic job if you’re exhausted and stressed? It isn’t exactly the best feeling when the flu hits you and you have to to lie in bed all day. Also, feeling homesick is completely common for new foreign students. How to cope with all of this?
In addition to using the student services of the university, it is also critical that you know your own body and what it wants. That is why I decided to share some tips and advice about how I cope with pressure!
Go out, start your mornings slowly
It’s easy to fall into studying without any breaks and sooner or later, you find yourself feeling tired and burned out. Going out in the nature is a very good way to keep yourself active and clear your head! But don’t force yourself when you find yourself being too tired. Mental health first!
One of the biggest things I’ve learned about myself is that I have time to begin my day on the right note in the morning. I don’t like running around at the last minute. So I have always at least 30 minutes to myself in the morning (before breakfast) so I start the day productively and I don’t hurry.
Eat healthy!
Eating healthy is probably the easiest thing to neglect if you have too much to do. However, when you’re studying hard, healthy nutrition is certainly not negotiable. Tampere University has some great restaurants which offer healthy food at student discount prices. I usually eat lunch regularly at the University. For dinner recipes, see BBC GoodFood tips for busy student life!
Use the health services
Feeling homesick is 100 % natural and students abroad do feel it. Living in a new country and beginning a new career at a new university is hard. Certainly, sometimes you just want to stay home and escape into that safe bubble, where you feel relaxed, and where you know what you’re doing. It can be very daunting to leave the bubble. So, go easy, remember that it’s normal to feel homesick from time to time.
Tampere University offers some great services for the students. Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) offers general, mental and oral health services for students from universities and other higher education institutions. The goal of psychologists working with students is to restore and preserve the student’s capacity with studying and/or work as a guide, guidance and short-term therapy. Healthy activities are organised every year for students by Tampere University to promote a healthy lifestyle among students.
Taking care of yourself and your mental health should be your top priority. Keep in mind the little things and work hard. Surely, the success will be yours!
– Atiqa
