How To Manage Stress At University
Whether you're juggling deadlines, navigating housemate tensions, or dealing with money worries, here are six practical ways to help you manage stress at university.
University may be ‘the best three years of your life’, but it’s also a huge life change. For many of you, it’ll be the first time you’re away from home, your childhood friends and managing your own schedule. Lots of changes. Lots to get used to.
It was no surprise when our survey revealed that mental health is the biggest concern for most Higherin students at university. A BBC survey also found that students seeking mental health support has increased by over 50% in recent years.
So let's look at ways to achieve a stress-free life as a university student.
1. Manage your Time
Staying on top of your work is the best way to ease stress, but the goal is to do it while still having a life outside the library or your part-time job.
It may start to feel like there isn’t enough time in the day to do both, especially during the final year of university, but we definitely have tips to make it as manageable as possible. Things like starting assignments early, creating daily to-do lists, setting achievable goals, treating the weekdays like a 9-5 and also highlighting tasks that are more of a priority, can all help you avoid those dreaded all-nighters. Build in regular breaks too - they're not time wasted, they help you stay focused for longer.
2. Take time out to relax
Once you’ve handled your schedule, don’t forget to actually step away from it too. Yes, you want to get that mark you deserve. Yes, you’re juggling a full-time course, part-time job and FOMO.
Learn to acknowledge when everything feels like too much, pause and do something just for you. Run a bath, spend time with a pet, go for a walk in the park - whatever genuinely helps you unwind. Giving yourself permission to rest shouldn’t fill you with guilt; it does far more good than staring blankly at your notes when you're not in the zone. Life is busy – so sometimes it’s hard to put ourselves first. We tend to overcommit and feel that if we push ourselves just that bit more, everything will fall into place.
3. Stay Active
Alongside rest, movement is one of the best ways of managing rest. Physical activity releases endorphins that naturally lift your mood and help you feel more relaxed - and it doesn’t have to mean dragging yourself to the gym. Walking, swimming, cycling, or dancing all count. Even a 20-minute walk between lectures or, in my case, to a vending machine during a 4-hour library session can reset your mindset and help you return to your desk feeling refreshed.
4. Fuel your body
Technically, you can survive on minimal sleep and a diet of pot noodles and dodgy kababs. But exercising, studying and simply just living needed proper fuel to function. Think eating balanced meals, eating your 5-a-day, drinking plenty of water AND of course prioritising sleep will genuinely help your mind feel clearer.
What is it with students and the stereotype that you don’t get enough of it? Let me tell you from first-hand experience, it’s not sustainable to not get 8-10 hours of sleep every night - simple things like putting your phone down an hour before bed can seriously improve the quality of sleep you have - I know I struggle too… an hour without our phones!?
Starting your day with a proper breakfast and getting to bed at a reasonable time a few nights a week can make a real difference - because no one can function at 100% without the right food and R&R.
Check out some of my go-to cheap yet healthy university meals.
5. Practice Mindfulness
And when you do wind down for the evening, mindfulness can be a great way to actually switch off. Techniques such as meditation, yoga or even just slow, intentional breathing give you greater clarity on what is happening in your life. Just 10-15 minutes of yoga each day helps calm and refocus your mind.
6. Be Kind to Yourself
Through all of it, the most important thing is this: be kind to yourself. We tend to overcommit and feel that if we push ourselves just that bit more, everything will fall into place. To a degree, but not quite. It's the small things that count.
If you're feeling anxious, try writing your worries down using the stressor/solution technique - note the worry, then think of one small step to address it.
For example:
Stressor: "I don't understand this module."
Solution: "I'll speak to my professor to see if they can go over it again with me."
The quicker you catch your worries, the faster you'll be able to resolve them, and give your mind the space it needs to take in new information.
And if things feel overwhelming, reach out. Talk to a friend, a family member, a tutor, or your university's counselling service. You don't have to navigate this alone.
If you’d rather seek advice online, the following websites are bursting with brilliant ideas on how to manage your stress:
You're navigating a big transition, and it's okay to find parts of it challenging. Taking care of your mental health isn't something extra on top of everything else - it's what helps you get through it all.
Click below to read through some other articles you might find helpful.
I'm Grace, Marketing Executive here at Higherin! I recently graduated with a Business Degree from Bournemouth University, and have returned as a graduate after completing my placement year with Higherin. I'm here to share real insights into placements, student struggles, and now graduate life. I've been there, so I know how to ensure you get the help and support you need to achieve your career goals.
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