Student Wellbeing: What Messes With Your Head?

Originially posted on 04.03.2022

Words by Yasmine

I am a self-confessed workaholic but during uni, I often find myself overloading and reaching my breaking point.

This summer was hard for me. I struggled to find somewhere to live, I took up several new positions and felt tired, cranky and anxious about all sorts of things.

The unfortunate reality of working multiple jobs, studying and volunteering is that eventually all those assignments, meetings and reports are somehow due AT THE SAME TIME. Urgh, it is a genuine curse! I enjoy being busy all the time. It fuels my desire to achieve and means I get to meet all kinds of weird, wacky and wonderful people. Unfortunately, it also means I can burn myself out.

I remember my high school teachers telling me to slow down or I was going to just break down. Well, I think it finally happened.

Tears were shed, feet were stomped but most of all I just felt TIRED. I felt sick of doing the things I love and sick of trying again and again at things with no success. I wanted to curl into a ball and bury myself under blankets and never emerge.

But I slowly pulled myself back into a better place. I reached out, I put down my laptop and my pens, I went outside and I chose myself over my commitments. Now, I am not pretending these are the solutions to everyone’s problems but exercise, the sun and talking to my friends made so much difference to how I felt that I am beginning to understand why weekends and a worklife balance are so important.

This year is going to be a bit tough, I think, as it’s my final year and one filled with change. I can move through it knowing that there are services available at the uni, and that if I overload myself, taking a day or two to rest is not a crime or a negative testament to my worth.

This year, I am going to have better strategies to manage the tough days and the really bad days because inevitably we all face them at university. We just have to face them together. WHAT MESSES WITH YOUR HEAD?

Read more of ‘What Messes with your Head’ at:

https://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/wellbeing/news/term/ what-messes-with-your-head

Words by Cooper

I often find that I like to keep busy. Even though I often complain about being busy, I find having something to do a welcome distraction. It gives me a goal. It gives me purpose.

I recently found myself free one day with nothing to do. No work, no cleaning, no washing, no assignments due, no club activities, just me, myself and I and the constant chatter that goes on inside my head. At first, I sat there for a moment and didn’t know what to do. Watch a movie? Scroll through my phone? Cook something? Go for a walk? It worried me that I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do. In many ways it felt like I had forgotten how to be myself.

I couldn’t think of how to find something that I wanted to do. I needed an activity that didn’t have a deadline or a workload to keep me busy and help the time pass. For a moment, even my social media feed was quiet. The feeling was oddly calming and anxiety inducing at the same time. I thought for a while and narrowed it down to two things. I like cooking (and most of all eating) and I like being outside.

So, Option 1: cook something. Option 2: go to the beach.

I decided on the beach. It was great weather, outdoors and always makes me feel better than before I went. Once I had decided, it was hard to find the motivation to go. I felt almost guilty to be indulging myself in a brief period of freedom. Worst of all, I felt almost anxious about missing something. A phone call, important emails, a new opportunity.

So, I decided to leave my phone at home and grabbed a hat and a towel. For now, all my worries or anxieties can wait.

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