[nov 10 • saturday]

currently studying and doing my best to get a 3.50 - 4.0 📖📚 super excited for the winter break, only one month away!!! my christmas playlist is ready and my only wish this year is on repeat 💖

Hi everyone! I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression a while back, and these are my tips on how to manage to be a student while also having mental health problems. If you’re struggling too much, however, please please please see if you can take a break from school- your health is so much more important than anything else!!!!! However, if you can and want to keep going, I hope these tips are useful.

1. Be realistic about what you can do

When I’m in a really bad anxious/depressive spell, things take me so much longer than usual. It’s important to take that into account when planning out your tasks, so you don’t end up with an enormous unfinished to-do-list and a mental breakdown. For example, last week, I had an essay to finish, and I spent a full day proofreading it one final time, since I could only do one paragraph at a time. Make sure to give yourself enough time and only do the tasks that are absolutely essential!

2. Know your own signs

In my case, my mental health goes up and down- I might be having a great time for a few weeks but then it’ll all go downhill again (like right now, I’m in a particularly difficult bit currently). By now, I know what signs to look out for so I know when my mental health will go downhill again, so I can prepare myself. Learn these signs (if you can) and when you notice them, either try to prevent yourself from going bad (which obvs isn’t always possible- I tried real hard this time but here we are again), or plan for when you do!

3. Make lists

For me, I can’t do anything without a list. My brain is already so off the rails that, if I don’t make lists, I will forget to do things, or maybe I just can’t be bothered. If I’m in a really bad time mental health-wise, I’ll put even the small things on there (like showering or cooking), to make sure I do them and to make me feel like I got a lot of stuff done in a day even when I’m not able to be productive uni-wise.

4. Talk to your teachers!

You all probably know this, but your teachers are there to help you, and 99.9% of the time, they will be more than happy to. If you’re going through a bad time, tell them this so they know why you’re not as prepared as usual/ they may be able to give you some extra guidance. For example, I have to write my thesis over the summer, but want to do this at home rather than in my uni town bc it’s better for me to be at home rn. I told my supervisor (insert a bunch of anxious crying from my side here), and he was incredibly nice and understanding. If (like me) you have anxiety, this sort of stuff will be scary, but I promise, it’ll be worth it!

5. Be kind to yourself

This is important in general, but if you have mental health problems, you have to accept that you’re not going to be able to be as productive as you want to be (the perfectionist inside of me died a little as I was writing it). There will be days when it feels like you’ve been hit by a bus and you just can’t do anything, and that’s fine. Just wake up every day, determined to make the best of whatever the universe has decided to throw at you. Good luck!

who’s your celebrity crush?

are you single or taken?

rant. just do it

do you think its ok to separate the artist from the art?

how many accounts do you have?

how many pairs of shoes do you have?

opinion on… (specify to the person you’re asking to)

how many accounts do you follow?

favorite brand of clothing?

name a dog

what unusual talent do you have?

what’s the most interesting schools gossip you’ve ever heard?

ever prank called a store?

what’s your coffee order?

what’s a question do you constantly get asked?

if you had to get a tattoo right now, what would you get and where?

google the top song from the year you were born

rant about your favorite musician 

what’s your favorite teacher you’ve ever had?

describe your blog in 3-5 words

what’s a conspiracy you believe in?

if you could see any concert tonight what would you choose?

if you could break one of your bad habits which would you choose?

can you dance? sing?

what’s something you can’t stop buying?

crowds or small groups?

how long before a trip do you pack?

what celebrity would you rate a PERFECT 10?

what quote or inspirational setting do you think is bs?

if you had to dye your hair an unnatural color right now, what would you choose?

you can change one thing about your life right now. what are you changing?

how old do you get mistaken for?

what do you think about a lot

do you like your hogwarts house or do you wish you were a different one?

what does home mean to you?

what do you think you’d be arrested for?

have you ever been called down to the principals office?

post a picture of the outfit you would choose if you could have any outfit you wanted

describe your aesthetic

answer with one of your ‘school memes’ (inside jokes you have with your class/grade) with no explanation 

I’m keeping a list of all the thing I need for my dorm room next year and thought I’d share just in case others where in a similar situation! Not saying everything on the list is required or needed, just writing the list out! (May edit and add to this as time goes on)

Bedroom Stuff

-at least one set of sheets

-pillows 

-pillow cases

-blanket

-throw blankets

-mattress pad

-string lights (a little basic but seems as if it could come in handy)

-at least one fan

-stuffed animal from home

-mosquito screen (if windows)

-blackout curtains 

-alarm clock

Decor Stuff

-tapestries 

-lamps

-posters

-candle alternative

-rug

-pictures

-easy hang racks that do not require drilling

-succulent (maybe a fake one)

-wall calendar

Organization

-clothing rack

-shower caddy

-laundry hamper

-hangers

-storage bags to separate clothes

-paper towel holder

-towel rack 

-hanging bag rack

-drawer storage compartments

-desk organizer

-dish rack

-at least one trash can

-rolling storage caddy 

Electronics

-laptop

-phone

-tv (if I get a private room)

-chargers for everything

-headphones

-noise cancelling headphones

-camera

-multi-port charger

-surge protector

-some form of nightlight (shhh) 

-portable charger

-portable speaker

Living Necessities 

-laundry detergent

-delicates bag

-soap 

-household cleaner

-first aid kit

-knife/mace (you never know)

-campus security number

-paper plates/bowls/cups

-real plates if I ever learn how to adult 

-salt and pepper

-hot sauce

-butter

-medication 

-clorox wipes

-water filter

-mugs 

-my bass

-portable water color stuff

-knitting supplies 

Bathroom Stuff

-shampoo/conditioner

-body wash

-razors

-face cleanser

-hair products

-brush

-towels of various sizes

-a bathrobe 

-container for products assuming showers are shared

-shower shoes

-hair bands

-organization shelf

School Supplies

-desk (if not provided)

-notebooks for in class notes

-notebooks for rewritten notes

-loose paper

-binders

-planner

-writing materials

-printer

-hole puncher

-folders 

-backpack

-a more style conscious bag big enough to hold days worth of stuff

-scissors

-tape

-sharpie

-pen holder

-pencil sharpener 

-grammarly app 

-text books

-old binders from ap classes to reference 

-stapler

Day-To-Day

-all the band t-shirts

-shirts of various assortments 

-jeans

-sweatpants

-joggers

-hoodies

-one or two jackets for the cold times

-shorts

-all the underwear

-socks

-converses, vans, doc Martens, lazy shoe options

-one or two nicer outfits if that ever happens

-assortment of jewelry

-a tiny tiny bit of makeup

-bathing suit since we got dat nasty community pool 

-slippers

some notes from the past few days! econ, econ and gcse physics!

*click for higher quality frens*