Feeling a mixture of emotions is normal
Moving on to further education (e.g. college) or higher education (e.g. university) can be very exciting but it can also be a big change from life at school or college. It is normal to feel a mixture of emotions, from worried to excited. Knowing what to expect, or not to expect, and where you can find support can help to make this time a little easier. Most colleges and universities offer some sort of support including disability, mental health and wellbeing support, and some universities may also offer financial support. It might be worth looking into the support options that your University offers, you can find out the Student Support pages for some of the local Colleges and Universities at:
You can also find lots of information to help you understand the move to university and university life at the Student Minds website by clicking here, their resources section is particularly helpful. The UCAS website also has information to help you get prepared for university life, from study skills and accommodation to mental health and wellbeing, click here to visit their website.
‘The best years of your life?’ It’s not always that simple
People often say uni is supposed to be the ‘best years of your life’. But for most of us, it’s not always that simple. Of course it can be fun, but it’s also full of big changes that can be tough to handle. Being away from home, missing family and friends, feeling the pressure to make new friends, figuring out your living situation, meeting deadlines, and managing your money – it all adds up. And it can easily feel like everyone else is having a great time while you’re just trying to keep it together. But almost everyone struggles with life at university at some point. So if uni life is making you feel anxious or unhappy, you’re definitely not the only one. The YoungMinds Guide can help you find ways to enjoy your time at uni, click here to access the guide on their website.
It’s important to remember to look after yourself as you transition into further education (college) and higher education (university) and start to build self-care into your daily life to help maintain your wellbeing. When it comes to self-care there isn’t one answer for everyone and it’s about finding what works for you, click here to visit the YoungMinds website to find out more about self-care and tips to help you get started.
You can find out more about managing transitions from school to college, or college to university on our Educational Transitions page by clicking here.
Supporting your child
There are a number of ways you can support your child in the lead up to college or university and during their time there, this could be helping them manage the transition, encouraging healthy routines and self-care or talking to them about their mental health. Click here to visit our Educational Transitions page for more information on how to support your child at this time.
