Tips to help us feel more happy and improve wellbeing!

The start of the new academic year is bound to feel like a refreshing change given all the uncertainty we have faced in the last few months. It is another welcome step towards some normality resuming, though it is only natural that some anxiety may exist with regards to what the ‘new normal’ of University life is going to be like come September.

 

At Edge Student Living we have been following all the latest developments coming from the University of Huddersfield and it really does sound like they are putting in a lot of consideration and effort into keeping everyone safe when it comes to the new academic year.   

 

Pandemic aside, it is a well-known fact that the feeling of anxiety or uncertainty can be a strong theme across the student population for many different reasons. As a young person at university, you’re faced with some huge decisions to make about your future career and commitments around this pivotal time in your life. Let’s face it; it can be daunting to have to know if we have made the right decision about our career path when we don’t even know what we want for tea!

 

At Edge Student Living, we have sought out some top tips to help you strive towards improving wellbeing and being the happiest you!

 

• Set yourself realistic goals

Most of us have heard of SMART goals; the key here really is making your goals realistic. You can end up feeling disappointed if you don’t meet them. Likewise this can also be the case if you set expectations too high either of yourself, others or experiences. In contrast, expecting the worst can make you feel negative. It’s a fine balance, but try and choose goals that you know will make you happy; there’s much more value in these kind of goals.  

 

• Get to know what interests you

Get to know, and feel confident about, what you enjoy doing during your time at university. Don’t be afraid to test the water!! Never been to a museum, gym or gig? Try it (socially distanced and restriction dependent for the minute – of course!) Explore different avenues to see what takes your fancy. And find out what doesn’t. Spending time figuring out what you like and dislike and what your passions and interests are is all time worth spending; and can ultimately play a big part of helping to manage your own wellbeing moving forwards into the future.

 

• Look after your health

It’s no secret that exercise and eating nutritious food can play an important role in having a positive effect on your mood. At Edge Student Living we will be posting our favourite simple healthy recipes out later this year – watch this space!

 

• Try not to compare yourself to others and reduce the pressure on yourself

It’s not uncommon to feel dissatisfied with what we are doing if we feel that other people are dissatisfied with what we’re doing. Try and shake off this feeling. Really, as long as you are happy, you don’t have to justify yourself to others and don’t worry what others might think.  

 

• Take things one step at a time!

In a society where everything seemingly gets done in an instant, what happens if along the way something doesn’t happen as anticipated and there are a few hiccups on the way? Mistakes we make on our journey of life help to shape us, enable us to  learn and move forward. When something does go wrong, try to find a positive solution.

We all get there in the end, even if the journey ends up being a bit longer.

 

• Manage any feelings of stress

If you recognise that you’re suffering with stress, try to practice a daily stress reduction technique such as meditation or mindfulness. Being more mindful and focusing on the here and now can improve your ability to tackle whatever may come your way.  This can take just 5-10 minutes each day; have a google to find some useful resources to help guide you further.

 

Remember, Uni is a unique and a special time in your life which really will fly by! So even if Uni life isn’t exactly what you imagined it would be like in this coming year, try to focus on the many positive aspects. Make the most of every opportunity you are presented with to get the best, most rewarding experience that you can.

Further information

The University of Huddersfield have some really useful resources available on their website, including student wellbeing information.

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