Being a university student isn’t easy. This page is dedicated to giving you tips and advice from students on how you can care for your mental health. Click here for a list of resources available at and around UCL.
You do not have to be Sick to look after yourself
If you are anything like me, then moving to online lectures has been a difficult transition. The pressure of self-directed study, the need to self-regulate, the lack of social interactions and many other factors can have large impacts on a person’s mental health.
So here are my latest tips and tricks to help you keep yourself grounded and your wellbeing in check.
first, Be Kind to Yourself!
It’s okay for you to feel both up and down sometimes, do not be too harsh on yourself. You will get through this, take the time to check on your own wellbeing, look out for those signs that you are struggling so that you can make the adjustments needed to sustain your wellbeing. Self-care is not only for those who are already suffering.
That brings me on to tip number two – Make time for yourself! Its important for you to ensure you have enough time for your everyday basic needs, if you are not making time for these your mental health will suffer. Below is a list of things I make time for each day.
- allow yourself enough time to get a good night’s sleep. Every night. Sleep is one of the most important factors for well-being. A lack of sleep can be devastating to your MH (click the image for an interesting 5 min TedTalk)
- Allow yourself enough time to eat well. Diet has a large impact on your MH and studying whilst hungry is not going to help you focus.
- Allow yourself some downtime, be it catching up with friends on zoom, streaming your favourite Netflix series, yoga or even just chilling with a lit candle and some music, find what makes you feel relaxed and make time for it. Your brain is a beast that never switches off but giving it some time for less intense activity can really help you to maintain your well-being.
Now let’s talk about the actual studying, and getting organised. start with daily planning. Making time for your studies is vital to managing your workload.
- Create a visual timetable that plans for your daily activities such as pre-recorded lectures and your readings, and your online classes. By having dedicated time for each of these tasks in your academic life you will begin to develop a routine in which allows you time for the other things mentioned above.
- Use a to-do list and Set short achievable goals
For example
- Complete Reading for Module A
- Watch lecture for Module A
- Complete Presentation for Module B
- Celebrate those Small Achievements. It’s not easy when you have a large number of things to do each day, but you don’t have to do everything immediately. So cheer yourself on and be proud of the small wins. Because they all add up
- Take breaks. The brain can only stay focused for certain periods of time, so allow for that natural distraction by planning to have short breaks throughout the day. For myself, I study for an hour, then I take a break to fetch more coffee, use the bathroom, scroll my social media, check the news or any other activity that I can do for 5 minutes. Now some of these can become a distraction that leads to procrastination, so I simply set a 5-minute timer on my phone.
- Self-Validate, and by this, I mean: You belong here, you are here because you belong here. Your merits got you to university, to UCL – a world-leading university. You and on your chosen course because you are capable – You belong at UCL! Do not forget to tell yourself this.
Looking after yourself now can prevent suffering later
That is all from me this week.
leave your comments and suggestions or coping mechanisms in the comments box or Please feel free to email me your at Callum.flynn.19@ucl.ac.uk 24/10/2020
Caring for your mental health tips
My names Callum Flynn, I am a year two Psychology with Education student here at UCL
I know that in current times mental health is proving to be problematic for many of us, I know for sure it is for me. You can read my story on the PES “caring for your mental health page”. ( further down this page)
Throughout my struggles, I have learnt a lot of key tips for keeping well. Each week I will be posting my top tip for the week.
This week, as we all start our virtual lectures, my first tip is a super simple one:
- turn on your camera where you can.
Now I know not everybody can, but in the times of covid where physical meetups are not possible, by turning on your camera will allow you to have some (although virtual) contact with your peers. I know for myself being able to see my friends live makes me feel so much better.
Tip number two follows along this path:
- Make time for your friends, be it 10 minutes or an hour. Block some time for you and them, one on one or in a group and have a virtual hang out.
I take part in a weekly quiz and it has really helped me through these trying times. I also have a weekly coffee session in which I catch up with my friend, and truth be told it has really helped me to remain positive through this pandemic.
Taking time for your mental wellbeing can help prevent mental illness
Please feel free to email me your tips and coping mechanisms at Callum.flynn.19@ucl.ac.uk 14/10/2020
Callum’s story
Year 1 BSc Psychology with Education student Callum shares why he chose to come to UCL, his struggles with his mental health, and how he wants to use his experiences to help others who may be struggling.
Q: Why did you choose to come to study at UCL on the BSc Psychology with Education?
The decision to come to UCL to study was a long process. After completing an NVQ in Children and Young People’s Workforce, I decided I wanted to work with children who faced difficulties in the traditional education settings. I decided the best way to do this was to go to uni to study both education and psychology. I attended a college to complete an access course to meet the entry requirements of UCL. I chose UCL due to its sector-leading research in both education and psychology, the central London location was also a massive part of the decision as I absolutely love London. The final part that secured UCL as my top choice was the vast amount of support for students with difficulties, whether they be academic based, like my own Dyslexia, or wellbeing, like my own mental health issues.
Q: What’s an interesting fact about yourself?
At the age of 17, I was nominated for my hometown’s “Pride of Reading, Young Person of the Year” award. This nomination came from the voluntary work I was doing across several groups, including scouts UK, the LGBT+ support network SupportU, Reading Pride and an LGBT+ youth club. I have always deemed myself to be an advocate for those in need of help.
Q: Have you struggled with your mental health? What were these experiences like?
My struggle with my own mental health has been a long and gruelling experience. The first episode of depression came when I was as young as 8, after loosing my grandfather. Throughout my later years in primary school, I received various methods of support ranging from play therapy to aroma therapy. I was very lucky that my primary school had a great pastoral care team who really looked out for me.
As I progressed into secondary school, the struggle with my mental health intensified along with my teen angst. A combination of coming to terms with my sexual identity, the forced closure of my school and thus the splitting of my tightly woven friendship circle caused me to make a suicide attempt. This gave those around me a sudden realisation of just how badly I was struggling. I attended counselling in my school and received my first experience of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). My struggles continued through my teens with multiple treatments of CBT at various intensities. The CBT also taught me coping methods such as challenging my thoughts, sharing my thoughts with others, the use of music to change a mood etc.
In my late teens, I was diagnosed with Cyclothymia, although at the time, I was not sure what that really meant. In my early 20’s I had a further 3 breakdowns, the first two causing me to leave the jobs I was working in, and the third causing me to be sectioned in 2018. This was my rock bottom moment. After exiting the place of safety at a mental health hospital, and learning that Cyclothymia was a form of bi-polar, I decided that I wanted to get control of my mental health. I was resolved to learn how to spot the signs, harness the behaviours and prevent the spiralling of my moods. One valuable thing I learned was my previous medication had contributed to the mood swings. Now, I have a new prescription, and a new understanding of myself.
Q: How have you coped with your experiences?
I joined a recovery college for people who had suffered with mental health. This was the best decision I have ever made. I got to really understand my own condition whilst meeting other people who also face similar difficulties. This sense of community really helped with my recovery process. I signed up to every course available to me, even bringing my mother with me when possible, so she could also learn what I was learning, gaining knowledge to help me in case of a future episode. I learnt many techniques that I will be sharing with PES over the next few weeks. My mother was so impressed with the service that she is now a volunteer support worker with the recovery college. Even today, I still have contact with the recovery college. Since coming to UCL, I have spoken with tutors, student psychological services, several charities outside of the UCL network, and I am still receiving support including a frequent medication review for new medication I started this winter.
Q: Have you learned new things about yourself through these experiences?
Yes, I learnt several key things. The most two important to me, how I maintain stability is firstly do not apply to much pressure on yourself, it’s okay to not be okay. Its not a weakness, but a strength that builds your character and resilience. And secondly, reach out to someone, anyone: a friend, family member, a dedicated organisation, your tutor or professors, the student services.
It can sometimes feel like a long process, but with support… you can achieve anything, including starting to feel better.
Q: Do you have some advice for students who may be struggling with their mental health?
Reach out, there is always someone out there to talk to. Without sharing how you feel, it is very difficult for people to help because they may not know you are suffering. I am always willing to talk to anybody who may be struggling (callum.flynn.19@ucl.ac.uk).
Look out for Callum’s future posts and tips on this page!