Taking care of your mental health
Date published
... Is harder once you start university, but it's important.
Why is it hard, you may ask?
Well, almost 3 years ago, I had to move 11,276km away from home and I had no choice but to be an adult for the first time in my life.
In the beginning of my journey, I was always anxious. Everything affected the way I felt. Ask any of my friends, they can vouch for the fact that I never wanted to go out once the sun had set. I was scared of the dark. I had no clue how to use the tube, or the bus, or anything at all. Life in my country was different, compared to London. You could call it culture shock.
However, I slowly learnt to embrace change.
And that was the best thing I had ever done for myself. Believe it or not, I was not always the way I am now. But wow, university life transformed me (in a good way, of course)!
To sum up, here are the three tips I personally believe have helped me to make the most of my university experience.
1. Explore new places
I am grateful to live in London. There is a never-ending list of places to explore and the best part of it is that it is so big and diverse. Some of my favourite places to go to are Camden market (for the yummy food), Portobello Market (for the beautiful antique items that are so rich in history) and, last but not least, Hyde Park.
It’s so easy to get to places here, with public transport being reliable, easy to use and affordable - I can go anywhere, at any time.
Remember I mentioned that 3 years ago, I had no clue how to use London’s public transport? This brings me to my second point…
2. Put yourself out there
One of my favourite quotes in the entire universe will always be ‘we don’t grow when we’re comfortable’. This means we must allow ourselves to get out of our comfort zone, even in unfamiliar places.
I am just using public transport as one example of me trying out new things. Sometimes we just have to make mistakes and get lost in order to learn. I hugely believe that if we never try, we will never know.
Many describe me as a positive person and say that I am very goal oriented, which is true because I enjoy trying out new things, meeting new people and following my dreams. That’s why I came to London in the first place. I did not come here just to study, but also, to grow myself by attaining new skills and experiences.
Although there are days when life does get confusing, I always make sure to take a moment to appreciate everything that surrounds me. Gratitude helps me to focus on the good things and feel happier. I would strongly recommend getting a gratitude journal as it helps us to remember the good in our lives.
3. Celebrate every tiny victory
As I mentioned previously, I love trying new things. One of them is leading a society. I find that not only did it help with my personal development, but it also increased my confidence in my own abilities. Who knew, a girl like me would end up organising the University’s first ever international day? I didn’t, but I proved to myself that there is beauty in taking risks.
No matter how small you think your achievements are, celebrate them.
You passed your test? Treat yourself to a cup of fancy tea.
You finished a book? Get yourself a cupcake.
You completed your assignment? Watch a movie in the cinema.
There are endless things we can do to celebrate ourselves. I find that it’s the little things that make big things happen.
Thank you for taking your time to read my blog! I hope that you found it encouraging and helpful and I wish you the very best luck on your university journey.
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Hani Azeemah
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