College is an exciting experience full of new friends, experiences, and independence, but it’s also a daunting time of uncertainties and searching for who you want to be. And the entire time you’re in this transformative period, you’re also expected to take 15+ credit hours, work a part-time job, pay bills, and maintain a social life.
Between juggling all these things, it’s easy to ignore the fact that every day you feel a little more tired and a little more anxious. That is, until Week 13 hits and you realize you’re completely drained, depressed, and unable to summon a lick of motivation. But at that point, no amount of face masks and bed-rotting that you don’t have time for can save you from the tsunami wave of Finals Week.
The good news is that you can avoid academic burnout simply by prioritizing your health. And that doesn’t just mean physical; mental health is health, and we should all be treating it that way.
So here are 3 ways you change your days from barely surviving to stressed but thriving:
1. Set a routine that works for you.
College is unpredictable and definitely not a 9-5 vibe. But there are things you can keep constant that will help you rest, destress, and recover on a biological level.
- Sleep is key here; the best thing you can do is set a sleep schedule and keep it. It keeps hormones in balance and helps with emotional health, stress, and immunity.
- Plan your day out visually, like on a dry erase calendar or a planner. When your brain knows what’s going on and when, busy days are less overwhelming because thoughts, intentions, and focus are organized.
- Don’t forget you time. It doesn’t matter if it’s a 30-minute run or an hour grabbing coffee with friends. Find a place in your day to fit you
2. Use healthy coping mechanisms.
Yes, getting lit after a horrible week works for the night, but it doesn’t help anything on a fundamental or long-term level. It can even worsen depression and/or anxiety. You need real tools that trick your brain into thinking your life is not, in fact, on fire.
- Learn to say “no” without feeling guilty. College is full of obligations and opportunities, but you need to know which ones will add fuel to your tank and which will burn it all up.
- Talk about how you feel with someone you trust. Foster your support system; reach out to friends regularly even if just a “hey” over text. Meaningful connections are one of the most effective ways to protect mental health.
3. Don’t wait to get help if you need it.
Asking for help demonstrates self-awareness and strength, not weakness. If you’re starting to feel stuck in a state of being constantly overwhelmed, depressed, are having unreal experiences, or otherwise feel out of control, that’s not a way anyone needs to live. Reach out to a professional – it’s literally what they exist for.
The hardest part of asking for help is that it’s often difficult – therapists aren’t taking new patients and/or it takes 3 months to get your first appointment. Not helpful. Luckily for students here, Ohio University is a staunch advocate of student mental wellness as an academic priority, so they offer students several easy-to-access resources.
Counseling & Psychological Services
Counseling & Psychological Services offers both psychological and psychiatric services, including individual and group counseling, eating disorder support, recovery, and medication management. They also provide informal opportunities for interaction with mental health professionals, including:
- Let’s Talk sessions, where students can casually talk with a therapist
- Creative Coping Café, where students work with peers to learn healthy coping skills
- Well-being Resources Directory, with self-help and community resources like Togetherall and WellTrack Boost, as well as Athens community resources
Students don’t have to worry about searching high and low for an available therapist and they don’t have to wait weeks to get in. CAP also offers emergency and crisis services, as well as Telehealth appointments for OHIO students who aren’t in Athens.
TimelyCare (Regional & Upperclass HCOM Students)
TimelyCare is a virtual mental health platform available to all regional campus OHIO students so they can access support 24/7 from anywhere. Their services include:
- TalkNow: immediate emotional support
- Scheduled counseling: virtual visits with licensed counselors
- Health coaching: guidance for healthy habits and stress management
- Self-care content: including yoga, meditation, videos, and other tools you can access anytime
Social & Informal Mental Health Resources at OU
THRIVE Student Well-being Initiative regularly hosts workshops throughout the semester on mental health. Talks focus on community, coping skills, stress management, and academic resilience.
Oh, and Ping now has a Well-being Wing where students can come to a calm, supportive environment to work on their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health in a non-medical setting, so that’s another place you can go if you’re looking for guidance but aren’t sure if counseling is for you.
You are more than your GPA, and your mental health matters more than joining a 3rd club or staying in a major you hate because your parents pressured you to. Take small steps that help you empower yourself; ask for help when you need it. When finals come back around, having prioritized your mental health all semester might be the best study tool you can have.