Student at Dumfries campus studying for exam

Higher education can be an exciting time for educational enrichment, personal growth, and exposing yourself to new and compelling experiences.  

You may be moving away from home and living with people you don’t know, or you could be traveling to a different place, or you could be staying exactly where you are with more intense educational responsibilities. Regardless of the excitement and growth, it is inevitable that you will face stress and pressure that can make you feel like giving up, but this doesn’t have to be the case. 

Being able to manage academic stresses and pressures is liberating and there are great ways to mitigate these challenges to make your experience more beneficial, productive, comfortable, and stress-free. 

What is academic pressure? 

Pressure is an experience where a person will feel hindered and weighed down by demands or workloads.  

Academic pressure refers to pressure that is caused by educational demands and the challenges of student life, such as deadlines, exams, and personal finances.  

So what can you do to deal with academic pressure?

 

Speak to a counsellor 

Talking to a counsellor is beneficial in discussing, processing, and understanding your thoughts and feelings, especially if you are feeling persistent stress. They will offer different perspectives and support you in exploring options for improved mental wellbeing. 

Many higher education institutions offer Student Assistance Programme (SAP) which will provide students access to mental health support, such as counselling, helplines, advise, and resources. 

Physical exercise 

Physical activity eases stress, lifts mood, improved self-esteem, increases cognitive function, and boosts a healthy lifestyle. All this improves a person’s ability to cope with mental health challenges, alleviating symptoms, and encouraging mental clarity. 

Start small and work your way up. Go for a walk with the dog or invite someone on a walking coffee catch-up, small changes can add up to great results. 

Prioritise sleep 

Getting enough sleep is closely linked to improved mental health. Having less sleep is connected to mental health challenges, such as anxiety and depression, and can even make mood disorders harder to cope with. 

During sleep the brain processes emotional information, assesses memories and thoughts, and the lack of sleep can be damaging to cognitive functions. 

Set up a bedtime routine that encourages relaxation, such as reading, taking a hot shower before bed, and not allowing screens in the bedroom. Be consistent with your sleep and stick to a schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time, even on your days without lectures. 

Learn about your mental health

Having self-awareness around your own mental health is freeing. It supports us in understanding why we feel the way we do when challenges come up. It allows us to appropriately comfort ourselves when we are distressed or struggling, such as coping with stress and burnout. 

Read reputable articles to learn about the ways your brain functions. Keep a mental health journal and research or discuss with a counsellor to fully understand your mental health. 

Manage your time 

Many students feel pressure when they think they don’t have enough time to complete a piece of work or project and sometimes things don’t always go to plan. 

It is vital to time management effectively, to offset pressured, stress, and potentially burnout.  

Begin with your deadlines, make sure you know the date everything is due and that you have enough allocated time to work on that project. Create a schedule with a good amount of time to complete each project or piece of work and prioritise tasks that are urgent and important.  

First published: 11 April 2024

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