Prepare Your Mental Health for a Smooth Move to Campus
Whether you鈥檙e a new student or just returning after summer break, moving onto a college campus is a big deal. While the idea of living outside of your parents鈥 house, making new friends, and diving into your major is exciting, it also marks a significant life transition that can bring stress and uncertainty.
鈥淧eople are transitioning from their parents鈥 home into a university setting, and often this transition is marked by exploration 鈥 exploration of new ideas and challenges, and even their own identity, so when they鈥檙e coming into a new environment with the weight of all these changes, it can feel really overwhelming,鈥 says Torrence Wimbish, PhD, CMHC, program manager of the at the University of Utah.
But how can you tell the difference between normal stress and something more serious? And how do you cope when you鈥檙e away from your usual support system? As you pack your bags for a new semester, remember these tools and tips to help you keep tabs on your mental health so you can thrive in college.
Preparing Before Move-In Day
Emotionally preparing yourself to start college is just as important as remembering to pack your toothbrush or deodorant.
Before classes begin, try the following strategies so you can start the semester strong:
- Get yourself on a regular sleep schedule. This will help your body get adjusted to the routine you will have during the semester.
- Identify techniques that help you relax, such as meditation, yoga, or exercise.
- Set realistic goals. Overloading your schedule can lead to avoidable stress and burnout. Remember, you don鈥檛 have to accomplish everything in one semester, and it鈥檚 okay to fail or make mistakes.
- Locate your classes before the first day. You can even do a 鈥渄ress rehearsal鈥 and walk through your daily schedule so you know how to get to each class, and how much time you need to arrive promptly.
- Locate dining halls and incorporate time to eat into your schedule. Taking time to eat a nutritious meal will prevent you from crashing in the middle of the day.
鈥淭he U has some fantastic opportunities for involvement, but you have to take the initiative to do it. We as human beings need one another. We need relationships. We need friendships. The more you feel connected to people, the more you can feel like you have a sense of belonging and a sense of purpose.鈥
Maintaining Mental Health on Campus
Don鈥檛 abandon your mental health once the semester is underway. The following strategies can help you feel supported throughout the school year, even when you鈥檙e busy juggling responsibilities.
Know Your Resources
College campuses have so many resources to help you succeed, so don鈥檛 be afraid to take advantage of them. Knowing where to go, whether it鈥檚 during a crisis or just for a little extra support, can make a huge difference.
University of Utah students can access the following resources to stay on top of their mental health:
- If you are living in student housing, you can access this no-cost, after-hours crisis response and prevention resource staffed with licensed mental health crisis professionals.
- Offers no-cost individual counseling, group therapy, medication services, and workshops. You can even take a mental health walk with .
- Supports overall well-being by offering holistic programs that address alcohol and substance abuse, violence and harm support, sexual wellness, health education, and more.
- A free and confidential way to connect to licensed counselors who are ready to listen to any worries, stress, or safety concerns you may have. Visit SafeUT.org to chat and submit a tip, or download the app.
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Another free and confidential way to chat with a licensed mental health professional 24/7/365.
You can also visit the for extra help with your coursework if that is a source of stress for you.
鈥淚 like to tell people to make a resource file, so you know what鈥檚 available when you need it,鈥 Wimbish says. 鈥淚 encourage parents to be aware of those resources as well, and to normalize help-seeking, so as you drop your students off at residence halls, you can reinforce that if they鈥檙e struggling, they don鈥檛 have to do it alone.鈥
Find Your Community
It might be intimidating to put yourself out there, but connecting with others can help you build a support system to turn to during difficult times. Get to know your roommate or other peers in your dorm. Join a study group, club, or intramural sports team. You can identify groups you鈥檙e interested in joining before you even arrive on campus and work their meetings into your schedule.
Stay Connected to Home
If you鈥檙e feeling home sick, remember, that鈥檚 normal and you鈥檙e not the only one struggling with it.
Try scheduling regular phone calls with your parents, siblings, or friends back home. This can lift your mood and give you an opportunity to talk about how you鈥檙e doing with trusted individuals. Knowing you have that Sunday morning chat with your parents each week or a Facetime date with a friend can be something to look forward to, as well as a mental health check-in.
When to Ask for Help
You don鈥檛 need to wait until you feel like you鈥檙e at a breaking point to seek out mental health support.
鈥淐oming to the Counseling Center is simply about getting support,鈥 LeCluyse says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a space where you can learn new ways to manage stress, better understand yourself, and build skills to navigate some of the challenges you might be facing as you start college. Seeking therapy is a proactive step toward growth and well-being.鈥
However, if you experience the following, reach out to a mental health professional as soon as possible:
- Feeling hopeless
- Experiencing panic attacks
- Difficulty functioning in daily life (i.e. grades or class attendance suffering due to mental health)
- Losing interest in things you usually enjoy
- Social isolation
- Difficulty keeping up with personal hygiene
- Thoughts of harming yourself or others
Moving to college is a huge milestone that can bring up a lot of different emotions. While it鈥檚 perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed or make mistakes, taking the time to mentally prepare yourself before you even step foot on campus can help make that transition a little smoother.
Most importantly, remember that you are never alone and can always ask for help.