Four top tips to combat a difficult day at university

When you’re at university, especially when it’s far away from home, it can be easy to feel isolated when you’ve had a bad day. You would have most likely come to university on your own and you might not have made too many friends yet, which means your support group can’t be there for you in person.

With all this in mind, it can quickly become very hard to overcome bad days. If you’ve ever struggled with this or want to prepare yourself for the future, take a look at our top tips for combating a difficult day at university.

1. Call your family or friends

Just because they are far away doesn’t mean you can’t speak to them! Picking up the phone and calling a close friend or family member can elevate you significantly. You can always facetime or Skype if you prefer to see them too.

You can also make plans to go back home or for your friends and family to come and see you one weekend so you have something to look forward to.

2. Take some time for yourself

Taking some time for yourself gives you some much needed TLC. Think about how you usually unwind after a tough day. This could be something as simple as watching a Netflix programme or having a bath. You should take whatever time you need to destress and calm yourself down.

3. Keep a diary

It sometimes helps people to keep a log of all of their day-to-day activities in a journal or a diary. Having this means you can refer back to days where you were feeling worse and you can put things into perspective. People also find it very cathartic writing their thoughts and emotions down as once it’s written, they’ll feel as if a weight has been lifted and they can let go of their negative feelings.

4. Open up to your housemates

Don’t be afraid to tell your housemates that you’re struggling. If you haven’t mentioned your mental health before, you can always ask if you can speak to them over a coffee and let them know that you’re not feeling great. Doing this means your housemates will be aware of your moods and can check in on you when you’re not having a good day. They can also be great at cheering you up and getting you out of the house.