Starting college is a time of new beginnings marked by opportunities for personal growth as well as the pursuit of academic excellence. For many students, however, the initial joy and anticipation of the opportunity to strike out on their own is quickly replaced by anxiety and stress as the realities of balancing academic challenges, social life, finances and personal health set in.
Whether you will be studying on-island or abroad, it’s crucial for students to actively prioritise their mental and physical well-being. I caught up with Lyndon Jackson, acting director of counselling & student activities at the Bermuda College to get his advice regarding setting yourself up to thrive during your college years.
“College life presents a unique set of challenges that can significantly affect your health and wellness if you are not properly prepared,” he said. “When a student is transitioning to higher education, every aspect of their life is impacted by changes in academic expectations, scheduling, diet, sleep, physical surroundings and social dynamics.
“Unless you take the time to check in with yourself and develop healthy coping mechanisms, it’s easy for normal life stressors to spiral into anxiety and depression.”
Are college students taking mental health seriously enough?
Mr Jackson believes that students are generally experiencing higher levels of anxiety and depression than once was the case, but they may not necessarily be aware that they are struggling:
“It’s really important to have a conversation regarding how you deal with stress personally and how the decisions you are making are impacting your behaviour,” he said. “In this respect, each person is unique, so the best advice would be to work to understand what stress and anxiety look like for you, and then work to build a support system to help you cope.”
Are colleges actively working to change the conversation around mental health and to build a culture of support and understanding?
Mr Jackson said yes: “These days you will typically find a range of resources to support students’ mental health, including counselling services, wellness programmes and peer support groups designed to provide students with the tools they need to thrive during their academic years.”
What advice would you give to students regarding the use of alcohol or drugs during their college years?
It goes without saying that each college and each jurisdiction is going to have different regulations regarding the use of these types of substances, and you must not make assumptions regarding what is legal or “acceptable” practice at the institution of higher learning that you are going to be attending.
“As a student, you need to keep in mind that you have academic, financial and relationship responsibilities to maintain. You need to understand how these types of substances impact you personally and know your limits,” Mr Jackson cautioned. “Never lose sight of the fact that there can be serious consequences for your actions, and you need to carefully consider whether your behaviour is safe and sensible.”
WELLNESS TIPS FOR COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS
“Perhaps the best thing you can do to support your wellness is to consider what sort of campus environment would suit you best, before you even apply to college,” he advised. “It’s a good idea to think about what sort of person you are and whether you would do better on a small campus or whether you would prefer to be at a large university in a big city.”
It is also essential to understand that the transition to college life is just that, a transition. Familiarise yourself in advance with the various types of resources that are available to support your mental, physical, emotional, nutritional, spiritual, social and financial health.
By taking the time to do a little research and making the most of the opportunity to get to know yourself and your personal value system, students can gain a comprehensive understanding of the health and wellness challenges they may encounter in college, along with effective strategies for addressing them.
Embracing mental wellness is not just about surviving college and avoiding burnout; it’s about thriving and making the most of this transformative period.
