Success in your first year at Salem State has a lot to do with academics and involvement on campus, but your mental health is the most important factor. Transitioning into a new environment, especially into university, is a challenge. You will need the right tools to be able to keep your mindset positive! Stress is something we all experience, especially in your first year. Throughout my first year, I experienced a lot of stress and I also learned a few techniques to help keep my stress levels as low as possible.
Give Yourself Enough Time to Complete Assignments
Procrastination is a major source of stress. If you put off your assignments until the last minute your assignment will most likely not be your best because of rushing to finish it and the worry that it will not get done. One way to try and overcome procrastination, is to set aside time to work on your assignments for the week. If you know there is an assignment due in two weeks set aside time each day or every other day to work on it. If you do set aside that time you will have time to edit your assignment or contact the professor with any questions.
Make Sure to Rest
Sleep is extremely important to your personal success as well as your mental health. Sleep deprivation can cause you to be forgetful, an inability to pay attention, difficulty learning new concepts and irritability. Without sleep your whole mind starts to shut down. If you have to schedule times for naps or your sleep time in general to keep yourself accountable do that. If you are having trouble sleeping you should try to cut down on using your phone or laptops in bed because the blue light can make you feel more awake. Another option is having a cup of tea. I did not start drinking tea until college and it can be so helpful. I suggest chamomile or anything with some lavender.
Try to Make Time for Your Social Life
Being with friends or participating in activities around campus is really important in maintaining your positive mentality. Keeping yourself involved in activities other than academics is beneficial to lowering stress. Whenever I see my friends, I forget about my stress or any worries in my life and have a good time. Making sure you have fun is key.
Making Time for Yourself
With the stress of school and sometimes work, making time to relax and have some time to yourself is necessary. It could be as simple as getting up a little bit earlier to sit and have your coffee while listening to music. You could also incorporate exercise into your routine. Maybe you find exercise a way to have time to yourself or you could enjoy yoga which is a great way to destress and be mindful. You could also set aside time to watch your favorite show. Making time for you is all about doing what you enjoy.
As you continue through your first year here at Salem State, if you find yourself struggling with a lot of stress or any other mental health issues you can visit Counseling and Health Services in the Ellison Campus Center or you can always come to the First Year Experience office and we will try to assist you in any way we can. Feeling stressed about tests and assignments is normal so as long as you are trying to keep yourself in check you will be successful!
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