As mental health issues among college students rise, it is often a struggle to manage both taking care of your mental health and taking care of your studies. I myself have been a victim of the “school first, mental health later” mentality that is especially popular among STEM majors. I spent years pushing my mental health to the side and focusing on my studies. This was a short-term solution, but by not focusing on my mental health throughout my studies, I ended up making my mental health even worse. I know firsthand how much easier it is to tell yourself that you are fine, but I have learned that scheduling in time to take care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do.
We are in a major where taking the time to take care of yourself often means that we cannot complete all the studying and homework that we need to do for school. And while professors do care about our mental health, they will not usually make allowances for us no matter the reason. Some tips I have for learning to manage both your mental health, and your class load are:
Prioritize
There will be times when you just can’t do it all. The way I handle this is I prioritize what I absolutely need to get done. If a class has a smaller late deduction, I might end up turning in that assignment late. If I have club or social responsibilities while I am having more severe mental health struggles, I will reach out to my club or to my friends and let them know what is going on. When I do this, I am prioritizing my mental health, and my classes. Everyone’s priorities will be different, but what’s important is figuring out what matters most to you and doing your best to uphold those priorities.
Utilize your universities counseling and consultation services
Most colleges, including NIU, offer free counseling and consultation services. You can look up the number for the services online, call, and explain that you are experiencing mental health difficulties and would like assistance in learning how to manage them. There are many free options you can choose from at NIU. You can have individual therapy, you can attend seminars, or you can join a therapy group. The counseling and consultation services will work with you to figure out which option is best for you. Reaching out can be intimidating but is well worth it in the long run.
·Work out (if you work out with friends it can help fulfill socializing needs as well)
The first thing people tell you to do when you are struggling with your mental health is to work out. This is a piece of advice I have heard hundreds of times, and it is still extremely difficult for me to follow. The way I have learned to help myself work out consistently is to form a group of friends who also want to work out. If it is a larger group, there will usually be at least one other person free to work out at any given time. Forming a commitment with others makes it a lot harder to back out of working out when the time comes. Additionally, humans need a certain amount of social interaction every day, which can be difficult to obtain in the STEM field, so working out with others can help fulfill your socializing needs. The biggest thing in helping create a workout schedule is to have a sense of accountability so that you follow through with the work outs.
Know who your support system is
Often when I am experiencing mental health issues, I have trouble remembering that the people in my life care about me. Because of this, when I am in a good headspace, I keep an active list of who I trust to be a part of my support system. Having a list in advance can make it easier to reach out for help from others when the time comes.
If mental health issues become excessive, talk to your doctor about how to manage them
While many people experience mental health issues, they should always be treated with caution. If your mental health is too much to manage on your own, consider talking to your doctor. Mental health issues can be caused by trauma, stress, vitamin deficiencies, hormone imbalances, chemical imbalances, and more. Talking to your doctor about your symptoms could help you get to the root of the issue.
Navigating your mental health is tricky, but necessary. You will make mistakes, and you may take some steps backwards before you take steps forward, but if you are working on yourself, you are improving. Good luck this semester, and please remember you are not alone.
-Jade Winkoski
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