University Mental Health Day

University is often put out there as 'the best years of your life', a place where you will meet life-long friends and make unforgettable memories. Whilst this can be true, this isn't necessarily the case for everyone, or indeed the case for every single second of the university experience. There can be times where students can potentially feel stressed, homesick, lonely and overwhelmed. I feel that this side of university is important to recognise so that people who may read this post don't feel alone in their feelings.

Picture of desk

It's okay not to be okay 

I'm sure you have seen this quote many times, and rightly so because it is true. Particularly at university where there is sometimes an unspoken pressure to be having a great time 24/7, which is added to with the influence of social media. I want to reassure you that it is okay if you have moments at university where you might not be having the best time. Alleviating the potential pressure that is there is a great step in helping us understand that it's okay not to be okay, and that you are not alone.

Conversation

This leads me onto my next point. I would encourage anyone who is experiencing any kind of difficulty at university to reach out and have a conversation with someone. Whether it be a well-being support officer,  a friend, a tutor or someone from home, having these chats with people around you that you trust is something I feel is really important and a great helpful step.

University Mental Health Day is a great reminder to have these open conversations about our mental health experiences at university, so that they can carry on following university mental health day.