Winter is coming — midterms, increasing workload, colder weather. Mayhem in the world. It’s easy to get lost in the midst of responsibilities and busy schedules that are intrinsic to student life.
However, with World Mental Health Day on Tuesday, experts emphasize that it’s important to remember and value personal needs beyond the realm of academics.
Throughout the year — especially during midterm season — striking a balance between work and personal life proves difficult. Some students feel they have just begun adjusting to their new surroundings and duties in the middle of the semester, like sophomore and electrical engineering major Marceline Lalama.
“I’m excited because I’m more committed now,” she said. “I started school, I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t wanna be here. I still want summer.’ But now I’m halfway through the semester, I just got my head in the game.”
But there are ways to combat the stresses of life and convert it into something productive. Although unique and tailored to every individual, there are some basic habits most students can abide by.
For chemistry Ph.D. student Jingyi Ran, it helps to “come to the village in the afternoon to have some sun, talk to my friends, and stuff like that.”
According to Dr. Sarah Van Orman, vice president and chief campus health officer at USC, reconnecting with friends, nature, and more can alleviate mental health struggles.
“But use this time to try something new, go out, explore Los Angeles a little bit, go somewhere you haven’t gone before, or just stay in and sleep, get some physical exercise, get outside, spend some time taking care of yourself, maybe trying something new,” Van Orman said. “Be with friends, we have a long semester ahead of us.”
Physical symptoms of stress can also guide students to take a break and be in tune to one’s needs.
“I feel like my body sends me signals,” Ran said. “If I’m not doing well, I have headaches, and I eat a ton or don’t have any appetite and stuff like that. When those kind of signals come up, I will start to go to bed earlier.”
Although work life is important and encouraged amongst a student body of intelligent and determined people, it is truly important to take a step back.
“Sometimes I talk to students who are like, ‘I’m gonna get caught up on all my work,’ which can certainly be a valuable thing to do,” Van Orman said. “But I encourage people to take at least some time, at least a day off, to take care of yourself, to reconnect and recharge before we go into the rest of the semester.”