University Student Self Care

Written by Emma Johnston

As summer comes to an end, back to school becomes the reality for a lot of individuals. Figuring out bus routes, waking up early for classes, long days spent on campus, assignments season starting up– it can be easy to get wrapped up in all of the back to school chaos. That is why it is important to focus on self-care during these transition periods. For university students, it is especially important to prioritize self-care. Studies have shown that university students are more prone to anxiety, depression, burnout, and an overall decreased well-being compared to those who do not attend university (Cage et al., 2021; Loi and Price, 2022; Rahmatpour et al., 2019). Therefore, implementing self-care practices is a great step towards alleviating that back-to-school stress. 

Self care and stress management can start with:

1. Taking Care of Your Body:
   Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night, fuel your body with nutritious foods to maintain energy levels and support cognitive function, exercise regularly, and stay hydrated
2. Managing Your Time:
   Create a realistic schedule that balances academics, social life, and self-care.

Helpful Tip: AI tools can be used to help create schedules

3. Practicing Self-Compassion:
   Be kind to yourself and acknowledge your efforts, especially during challenging times.
   1. Acknowledge the challenge and offer yourself encouragement, like, “This is tough, but I’m capable of figuring it out”.
   2. When you’re feeling down, remind yourself of your strengths, past accomplishments, and that it’s okay to have bad days”.
   3. When you’ve made a mistake, instead of berating yourself, say something like, “It’s okay, everyone makes mistakes. I’ll learn from this”.
4. Getting Organized:
   Declutter your study space and create a system for managing tasks to reduce stress.
5. Practicing Mindfulness:
   Engage in activities like meditation or deep breathing exercises to manage stress and improve focus. 
6. Setting Boundaries:
   Learn to say no to commitments that overwhelm you and prioritize your well-being. 
7. Making Time for What You Love:
   Despite having “more important” tasks that need to be done, it is important to engage in activities you enjoy to help you relax and recharge. When we set aside some time for the things we love, we are better able to put productive time into the difficult things 
8. Seeking Support:
   Don’t hesitate to reach out to university counseling services or mental health resources if you’re struggling.

NAIT
Offers counselling services and low-cost video counselling through NAITSA’s MyWellness, with access to a comprehensive list of local resources. 

https://www.nait.ca/nait/student-life/health-well-being/mental-health-resources

NorQuest College
Provides free, private mental health services, including individual counselling and wellness workshops. 

References 

Cage, E., Jones, E., Ryan, G., Hughes, G., & Spanner, L. (2021). Student mental health and transitions into, through and out of university: student and staff perspectives. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 45(8), 1076–1089. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2021.1875203

Loi NM & Pryce N. (2022) The Role of Mindful Self-Care in the Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Burnout in University Students. J Psychol. 156(4):295-309. doi: 10.1080/00223980.2022.2045887

Rahmatpour, P., Chehrzad, M., Ghanbari, A., & Sadat-Ebrahimi, SR. (2019) Academic burnout as an educational complication and promotion barrier among undergraduate students: A cross-sectional study. J Educ Health Promot. 201 (8). doi: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_165_19.