After a gloomy, rainy and extremely windy winter, we can rejoice that the semester is about to come to a close.
With midterms taking place and a little less than two months left of school, we decided to do a mental health check-in. Now is the time students are feeling the most overwhelmed they probably have been all year.
Whether it’s Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or just that the academic year has taken a toll, students are most likely feeling stressed and in need of a long summer vacation.
For those of you who do not know, “SAD has been linked to a biochemical imbalance in the brain prompted by shorter daylight hours and less sunlight in winter.”
Regardless of the cause of one’s decline in mental health, we’re sure many of you are feeling the pressure and can’t wait to soak up the sun in a couple of months. We just have to hold on a little longer.
If you or a friend are feeling down or stressed out from school, we’re here to help. Here is a list of a few things to help you get through the rest of the semester.
Look Into Mental Health Resources
One of the best resources to check out is one right on our very own campus. Montclair State University offers free counseling to all its students who need it.
Montclair State’s Counseling and Psychological Services states that they “are a department within the Dean of Students Office designed to provide free personal counseling and psychological services for Montclair State students, as well as referrals and consultations for faculty and staff. We are fully accredited by the International Accreditation of Counseling Centers (IACS).”
It’s always scary to get help, but it’s worth it in the end.
Look Into Tutoring
Every college student has had at least one class where they just could not quite grasp the material. Don’t feel embarrassed, it happens to all of us.
If you’re struggling with your grades, you should definitely look into the Center for Academic Success & Tutoring (CAST). “The Center for Academic Success & Tutoring (CAST) is located in Susan A. Cole Hall suite 149. CAST offers free Tutoring, Academic Coaching, Supplemental Instruction and Academic Workshops to all students on campus.”
It can be difficult to go to someone for help with your homework, but it’ll save you money instead of having to retake a class again.
Organize Your Workload
Whether it’s setting up a day to have a homework date with friends, giving yourself certain hours to study and complete work or setting aside a weekend to just do everything at once, making a plan when it comes to getting your work done will help you in the long run.
Scheduling your day to do work will help eliminate procrastination and saying “I’ll do it later.” It sucks to have to sit down and get through a heavy workload, but trust us, it’s better than rushing to do everything at the last minute.
Find Free Time To Do Some Self Care
Going to the gym, having a spa day or simply taking advantage of some much-needed me time will most definitely help you get through the rest of the semester.
It’s easy to want to lay in your bed and watch TikToks all day, but they will do nothing to benefit your mental health. Try doing something that relaxes you and benefits you mentally.
Maybe pick up a new hobby like crocheting or play Sims 4 and make your sims go to university while you’re currently enrolled in university. Whatever gets you relaxed and feeling refreshed is up to you.
In all seriousness, take care of yourselves this semester. Mental health is just as important as physical health. Surely we are not all alone in feeling a little bit overwhelmed. We’re all in this together.
