October - World Mental Health Day
Hello lovely people!
So, today is World Mental Health day, which I thought would be the perfect day for me to share my first ever blog post! I’m going to be sending out one of these posts every few months, and of course they are going to revolve around health and wellbeing.
In the theme of mental health, I thought I would start off with my top tips for staying happy and healthy during your time here at Aberystwyth:
1. Join a club or a society - Getting involved with a sports club or society can really make you feel part of a group and maybe even become like a second family, which will help if you’re feeling lonely or homesick - which most students do at some point. Being a part of Surf Club during my time at university really gave me a sense of purpose and helped me find friends that will last a lifetime.
2. Connect with others - University life is obviously very busy and it’s easy to get absorbed by your new life, remembering to call your loved ones regularly will not only hopefully make you feel better but it will also put their minds at rest and I’m sure they’ll be worrying about you more than you realise.
3. Get moving - Making time to do a little bit of exercise each day can really help to improve your overall happiness. Whether it is a club or society weekly training sessions, emulating a ten minute yoga video on YouTube or just walking up the hill to lectures instead of getting the bus - every little helps!
4. Sleep regularly - Balancing studies, social life and sleep can be a struggle, but if you find yourself feeling low on energy a lot then I would recommend making sleeping at regular times and lengths a priority. Your brain and body can’t function properly if they’ve not had a chance to fully recharge.
5. Eating Well - Being busy or not used to cooking for yourself can lead to lots of take-aways and meal deals, which unfortunately aren't good for you brain, body or bank account. Eating well is essential to feeling well, so try doing your own cooking and adding more fruits and veggies to your diet.
6. Spend some time in nature: Nature is the perfect pick-me-up if you’re feeling down and also a wonderful way of clearing the mind. Living in Aber we are blessed to be surrounded by natural beauty and miles of different walks.
Keep calm - it is only teaching week two! Whether you’ve had your first piece of work marked lower than you expected, struggled to make friends, or are simply feeling homesick, it’s important to remember that it is still early days and to take little steps to make a difference.
And last of all, the most important thing is to ask for help if you need it! No one should have to suffer in silence and there are a range of services available to support you whether it is Student Support Service, based in the Student Welcome Centre or the AberSU Advice Service.
There is also The Big White Wall, providing 24 hour anonymous peer and professional support - all you need is your Aber log-in details to access it..
And that’s all from me for now, I hope you’re all enjoying the start of term, and if you’re not - talk to someone about it!
Lots of love from your Wellbeing Officer, Lydia :) xx