Asian woman in purple checkered sweater vest talking to therapist in office

8 Ways to Improve Your Mental Health in College

Taking care of your mental health in college is of the utmost importance. These eight helpful tips can improve your mental health and your everyday life.

College is fun! It’s where you meet new people and become independent. But being on your own can also be stressful. Unfortunately, coursework, relationships, career paths, financial worries, and the ongoing pandemic could all stop you from enjoying the full college experience. Many college students are afraid to get help; the negative stigma surrounding mental health can create a fear of being different. However, taking care of your mental health is a serious priority that should never be avoided. If you’re a college student and are nervous about seeking help, here are eight tips to help you get back on track.

1. Give counseling a try

Campus counselors are trained in handling a variety of mental health issues for students, and this service is usually included in the price of school fees. If you’re worried about what others may think of you for seeing a professional, no one has to know you’re going, and it’s entirely confidential. Counselors have a code of ethics they abide by requiring that they treat everyone equally and maintain an open-minded approach. Plus, you probably know a lot more people who go to counseling than you may think. Whether you’re dealing with stress from exams or a conflict with your friends, a counselor can help you find ways to ease your frustrations. 

Related: Teletherapy: The New Way to Access Mental Health Care

2. Talk to friends or family

If you don’t feel comfortable going to a professional, you can always talk to your friends or family. Let them know your situation, and be upfront with them as to whether you’re looking for someone to just listen or to offer solutions. Family and friends can offer advice, make you laugh, and get your mind off things. You could even talk with a trusted professor if you want someone a little less personal! 

3. Make meals a priority

Not eating can have major effects on your brain. For this reason, skipping meals will increase your chances of anxiety and depression. Missing out on breakfast before a big exam also decreases your optimal brain function. With this in mind, college students should be eating three bigger to five smaller meals a day. The good news is there are plenty of foods that support brain function and strengthen your mental toughness, and most of them are available in college cafeterias.

4. Get enough sleep

According to the CDC, college students should be getting seven or more hours of sleep every night. Without the right amount of sleep, your brain can’t function, making you extra vulnerable to stress-induced situations. Not to mention that a lack of sleep can also cause other health-related issues such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

Related: Top Sleep Hygiene Advice for Tired Students  

5. Take hot showers to relax

Hot showers are scientifically proven to reduce stress and improve mood. In fact, hot showers relax all muscles in your body, including your brain. They have many other benefits as well, such as improving blood circulation and helping you fall asleep faster at night.

6. Join a club

Another way to help yourself mentally is to get involved at school. There are plenty of clubs and organizations on every campus; for example, Iowa Wesleyan University offers activities ranging from the Student Government Association to Gay-Straight Alliance to Dance Team. You may even be able to create your own club! Greek life can also be especially helpful in bringing college students together. As a result, you get to meet new people, make new friends, and find a support system for when things are difficult.

Related: 4 Great Ways to Make Friends at College

7. Look into volunteer options

Nothing feels better than helping others in need. Luckily, college students have plenty of options when it comes to volunteering. Options consist of campus events, tutoring, charities, and more. By volunteering, you’ll have a sense of purpose in life, which in turn will improve your mental health. Look for volunteer opportunities online to get started. 

8. Stop and take a deep breath

If you’re feeling overwhelmingly anxious, you need to stop and take a deep breath. Breathing exercises help you relax by sending a message to your brain to slow down. With this intention, you can find plenty of breathing techniques online. Just remember to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, and remind yourself that everything will be okay.

Related: Great Mental Health Habits for Students to Establish

No one is perfect, and we all deal with poor mental health at some point in our lives. Don’t be afraid to get help; you don’t want things to get worse. The best thing you can do is stop and ask yourself: What can I do to relax? 

For even more helpful advice, visit Iowa Wesleyan University’s blog, or check out the “mental health” tag on CollegeXpress.

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:

About Justin Klug

Justin Klug is a student-athlete and digital marketing intern at Iowa Wesleyan University. He’ll be graduating in the spring of 2021 with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and returning to Iowa Wesleyan in fall 2021 to start a master's degree while working as a graduate assistant for the Narketing department. Be sure to check out Iowa Wesleyan’s College Blog!

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress

College Quick Connect

Swipe right to request information.
Swipe left if you're not interested.

Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY


Casey Kammeyer

Casey Kammeyer

$500 Refer-A-Friend Scholarship Winner

I love the site CollegeXpress; it has been very helpful finding colleges and getting them to send me information. It has also been very, very helpful with finding tons of scholarships. Also, I told many of my friends about it and they love it as well!

Michael

Michael

High School Class of 2021

CollegeXpress showed me that Western New England University was a great match for me both with curriculum and location. CollegeXpress is an excellent resource both future and current college students.

Katelyn

Katelyn

High School Class of 2021

CollegeXpress gave me options of schools with my major and from there I was able to pick what was most important to me in a school. Everything was so organized that I could see all the information I needed.

Samantha Fils-Aime

Samantha Fils-Aime

High School Class of 2019

I love that CollegeXpress has helped me find some scholarships to apply for but also helped me succeed in school with lots of tips. I also really like how they consistently email me about webinars that teach me a lot of things from the comfort of my home!

Farrah Macci

Farrah Macci

High School Class of 2016

CollegeXpress has helped me in many ways. For one, online searches are more organized and refined by filtering scholarships through by my personal and academic interests. Due to this, it has made searching for colleges and scholarships significantly less stressful. As a student, life can already get stressful pretty quickly. For me, it’s been helpful to utilize CollegeXpress since it keeps all of my searches and likes together, so I don’t have to branch out on multiple websites just to explore scholarship options.