Starting university can be a stressful experience. How you cope with the stress is the key to whether or not it develops into a health problem.
Starting university can be a stressful experience. How you cope with the stress is the key to whether or not it develops into a health problem.
Stress is a natural feeling, designed to help you cope in challenging situations. In small amounts it's good, because it pushes you to work hard and do your best, including in exams.
Leaving home to start your studies can involve some stressful changes. These might include moving to a new area, meeting new people and managing on a tight budget.
The first signs of stress are:
Too much stress can lead to physical and psychological problems, such as:
Short periods of stress are normal, and can often be resolved by something as simple as completing a task – which cuts down your workload – or by talking to others and taking time to relax.
Some of these suggestions might help:
For more tips on beating stress, check out these 10 stress busters .
The NHS Choices Moodzone has eight free mental wellbeing podcasts or audio guides that may help you when your mood is low or you're facing an anxious time in your life.
This anxiety podcast tackles stress that arises around revision time and exams.
Long-term stress and anxiety is difficult to resolve by yourself, and it's often best for you to seek help.
Don't struggle alone. Anxiety can seriously affect your academic performance, and that's not only distressing for you, but means a lot of wasted effort.
Find out more about tackling student mental health issues.
Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your doctor when making decisions about your health.