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Adjusting to University life
Your first months at University will be a time of great change and you will experience a wide range of emotions. You will want to make new friends, to appear confident and popular, and to cope easily with your coursework, get good marks and impress your tutors and other students. You will want to have an active social life, live well, and try new experiences, maybe even a whole new image
You will certainly have high expectations for these first few months, and it is really important that you enjoy this new experience. Remember, all the other new students will be going through the same processes as you, and they’ll probably feel just the same as you do
Here are our top-ten of things to do to keep your body and brain in good order:
- Eat well – Chances are you’ll now be responsible for buying and cooking your own meals, so try and make sure you get a healthy diet including fruits and vegetables
- Alcohol – Don’t drink so much that you compromise your own safety by making yourself vulnerable to accidents, theft or assault
- Exercise – Regular exercise helps weight control, endurance and stamina, reduces stress, and the endorphins released are a natural mood elevator
- Relax – If things are starting to feel a little monotonous taking some time out each week is a great way of clearing your mind. You could plan your activities for the week ahead, or get a little personal time to listen to some music or read a book that isn’t related to your course work!
- Sleep – Get enough sleep or any problems you experience will be multiplied by tiredness: low energy, stress, limited patience, and poor concentration
- Drugs – You can say no. Being away from home often makes people do things that they wouldn’t normally risk. If you do take drugs make sure you understand what the effects will be. We see a lot of students with drug induced mental health problems, and regular drug use always affects your studies
- Sex – use condoms, and see our web site for more information about contraception and sexual health
- Homesickness – if you are missing family or friends you can lift your spirits with regular phone calls, texts, and e-mails. You’ll find as you get more involved with University life that homesickness will ease
- Money – Living away from home is expensive. If you are experiencing financial difficulties the Welfare Office in the Union is the first place to go for structured confidential advice
- Other problems – both your University/College and Leeds Student Medical Practice can provide access to a wide range of professionals that can help you in any circumstance, the advice will be free and confidential, and it may be that just by talking to someone initially your problem can be resolved
Leeds Metropolitan University Counselling Service: http://helpzone.leedsmet.ac.uk/counselling.htm
University of Leeds Student Counselling Centre: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/uscs/
Source: AW LSMP 2007
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