The transition from life in high school to life in university is a big one. Suddenly when September rolls around, people are removed from their comfortable environments, and entered into a world with numerous new stressors.
Student loans, and burgeoning work loads can all be sources of stress for students. Distance from their home and previous support systems doesn’t help. Students are often living away from their parents, friends, and family members for the first time in university.
Replacing these coping mechanisms can be hard, especially when students are entering a new environment. Growing up and being in high school can’t prepare you for the challenges you will face when you are no longer in high school. It’s a huge shift in students’ lives which occurs at a key point in their development.
Whether students realize it or not, the way they deal with stress in university can shape the way they handle stress for the rest of their lives. Developing positive coping mechanisms, such as exercising, talking to a friend, or practicing a hobby are much more positive ways of dealing with problems rather than coping through addictive substances such as drugs or alcohol, which can compound the problem and cause further problems down the road. Mental health is a key component of a student’s success. Students must prioritize seeking out coping mechanisms to deal with their stress that won’t cause long-term damage.
