Coping with College Stress...

     Hi Pretty people!

I AM IN MY FINAL YEAR IN UNIVERSITY.

 Just read the above statement again. Anyone who has been through this, is going through it or who is facing in will probably of had a sharp intake of breath and shuddered. It's possibly one of the most stressful times of this age and stage of life.

 For the last seven weeks, I have been a completing a Wellness Recovery Action Plan at St Patrick's psychiatric hospital as an out patient two days a week, and then spending the rest of the week in college. At the beginning of last week, I started to experience sever anxiety again. I think when you've been well for quite a while, when you do start feeling depressed or anxious or what ever type of symptoms people experience with their particular mental health difficulties, it's some how scarier than before. This is, I think, because you're almost afraid that you will get sick again, that this is the beginning of a bigger problem. Also, I think it's because being well is so enjoyable you're angry at the thought of being sick again, of going back to being the person you were; the person ruled by your illness.

 I spent that evening in bed with a serious migraine, which is always a sign of stress in me. The next morning I had to attend the hospital again and luckily, even though I felt frightened and physically and mentally stressed, I was able to discuss what I was experiencing with the facilitators there, and realise that I was hugely stressed over college.

  Final year is tough. Like, seriously tough. I had been neglecting that fact and had expected to sail through it, and also forgotten how much college stress affected me in general. The WRAP programme taught me how to plan and deal with these type of situations and learn more about myself, so I had the foundations to build a plan for how to deal with this stress and stop it bubbling over. I'll put the link to the WRAP website below. It's an amazing program and I would recommend that anyone, with or without mental health difficulties do it, the life skills it teaches you can be applied to any situation.

  So these are so bits of advice and tips to try to help you deal with exam stress!:) 

                                                    

• Try to be organised: I don't mean in every aspect of your life! But having deadlines written down, what the type of assessment is for each class and how much the assessments are worth is a big help. Knowing how much an assessment is worth is a good way to decide how much time you should devote to it and having the dates written down avoids any uncertainty and panic. Try keep a copy where you study, on your computer and in your phone.

• Back up everything: If you're like me and all your work is on computer, make sure you back everything up, either it be to iCloud or google drive or even the good ol' USB stick. If you've an iPhone set it to auto update your iCloud and google drive so you'll have everything together.

• Find somewhere and a time you're comfortable studying: For me I study best in the morning down in the kitchen. I always find something to distract me or tidy in my room and by the end of the day I'm just way too tired for study!

• Drink as much water as you can: This is a really basic one I know, but you do feel better when you drink water! Add some fruit or sugar free cordial to make it less boring! Have a couple of different bottles around the house and take sips out of them. 

• Try to eat well: This is soo hard when you're busy with college!! I walk past two chippers and two pizza places on the way home from college and its so tempting to go in and get something quick and tasty. But your body actually uses energy to break down processed food, energy which you could be using to study or write assessments! If you can, try cook simple pasta dishes with tomato sauce and some veg, or even get the ready made dinners you can get in most places now. They're only a €5 and you get two days out of them. Spar do the nicest ones I think. Or else make soups and freeze it, throw in a potato or pasta and happy days:)

• Try some yoga: I have gone on about the benefits of yoga in my October Favourite's post already, but I'm finding it brilliant for dealing with the physical aspects of stress like sore, stiff neck and shoulders and muscle spasms. If it's really not your thing, a great tip my physio gave me is to take a tennis ball, and place it between a wall and your back, and use the ball as a way to massage out knots. You can even study while you're doing it!

• Mindfullness: Ok, Ok, I know, this is a dirty word. This is also the new buzz word in the mental health industry and its severely over used! But I have found mindfulness good recently. I use the app Headspace, which is a slightly more modern take on mindfulness, with some fn animations and great advice. People think it's all about stoping your thoughts and clearing your mind but that is NOT true! I find Headspace particularly good because its explained in simple English and it is realistic. If you're still not convinced check out their website. Also try following mindful or wellbeing pages on Twitter and Facebook for tips and if you can't do without your social media fix!!

• Don't take on anything extra: I know this isn't always possible as people have jobs and family commitments, for which may I say FAIR PLAY. I am in the very lucky position that I don't have a job or kids and I honestly don't know how people who do have these constraints manage college at all, least of all in final year.  What I mean by this is that this may not be the best time to decide to paint the house, or take up couch to five k, or vow to loose that half a stone before Christmas or try read War and Peace! (I have this running joke with people than when college is over I'll get to read all those complicated books I want to read, instead of college stuff!) Basically college is going to take up the significant part of your time, so don't be trying to kill yourself doing or achieving other stuff.

• Do something everyday you enjoy: I can hear you screaming at me now, 'Are you kidding?!There's not enough hours in the day!' but please try to do this, just for fifteen minutes a day. Whether it's reading a (light!) book, writing a diary, watching a tv show what ever it is, allow yourself to do it for at least fifteen minutes every day. It will really benefit you mentally and physically. 

• Have what ever drives you around you: For me it's a list on my wall of all my presentations and assignments and crossing them off as I'm done, best feeling ever! I've also got a list of short and long term goals to remind me of what I want and why I'm working so hard. Also, my background on my computer is a picture of three snow men that remind me of my family and make me smile. It can even be pictures of the places you're going to go travelling or your dream job.What ever it takes to remind you of why you're doing this and there is an end in sight.

• Take multi vitamins: This is just about the worst time ever to get sick, but somehow it always happens! Ask your college doctor or pharmacist about a good brand to take and try and take it with your main meal in order to absorb the most goodness. If you're really feeling poorly and tired consider being tested for B12 deficiency, which is done through a blood test. Remember though, it's natural to be tired with everything thats going on. Try have a regular bed time, and they say the best sleep you get it the sleep you get before 12pm. 

• Stop working an hour before bed: This is an important one my psychologist advised me to do. It's because your brain needs time to wind down before it can sleep, so this is especially applicable to worriers who find their brains very active. Try and stay away from the phone and computer for that hour too! If you're not getting good quality sleep it will affect the quality of everything else in your life, including college work!

•  Ask your college for help: Seriously I could do a whole article about asking for help in any situations of your life, but this is one where people will definitely  be able to help you! You are not the first, nor will you be the last student who'll approach their college in need of help in final year. Or any year for that matter. So just go, ASK! Talk to your class rep, your year head or any department that helps students. If you're not sure what to ask for help about ask them about time management skills, assignment writing skills or if needs be about extensions or extenuating circumstances. This is when a set of unusual personal circumstances which has greatly affected your college work and will be taken into account when you're being graded. This can include physically injury, a death ect

• Try remember LIFE WILL GO ON!! This is a hard one. Mostly because if they worst case scenario happens and you fail, well it does change your circumstances and what you had planned for your life. But life does go on. It may not seem like it at the time, but it will. It will take strength to get up and try again, but you will find it somewhere, and its always worth using the appeals time to see if you can speak to lecturers about where you went wrong.  Again, you will not be the first or the last, but make how you react different to all the rest, and you could still have that dream job, just maybe not the exact way you thought you'd get it!

  So those are my tips for trying to keep your head around college stress. They're all ones that have been said before but sometimes you need to see them written down again! If anyone has any tips or tricks they do for coping with exam and college stress please leave a comment below, or on my twitter or instagram account. 

Thanks so much for reading!

xx

Wellness Recovery Action Plan Website:

http://www.mentalhealthrecovery.com/wrap/

Headspace Website:

https://www.headspace.com

My Twitter:

https://twitter.com/mentallybeauti1

My Instagram: 

http://instagram.com/glitterwhiskers

20 Things About Me Tag:)

Hi Pretty people!

   This tag needs no introduction, and instead of just having it as a quick post, I decided to extend it a little bit. Not, mind you because I am in anyway more interesting than the next person, but because I was afraid the blog was becoming a bit too much about reviews, and I didn't really want to go down that route too much.

   So without further a due!

      1: I'm studying for a degree modern sociology in university. I did a month of my final year last        year, but had to defer due to hospital. Really looking forward to going back this September, I love college and find some of the stuff I study really interesting:)

       2: I adore animals! I have three cats, blackie, pete and felix; who's the only female, who, ahem, relocated from our neighbour's several years ago, cough! I also foster cats, and at the moment I have the wonderful Molly. At one point there was six cats and three kittens in our garden! I seem to spend my life covered in cat hair and scratches! I also have a dog, she's a Japanese Spitz and her name is Sama (the Japanese for lady), but she also goes by sam, samwise, sandwich, samy, baby, oi you and my favourite, fluffy arse. She's totally the baby of the house, is very much always in the middle of things and loves going for a walk!

         3: I like piercings, but love tattoos! I have my navel, tongue, snakebites, septum, micro dermal in my neck, tragus, cartilage and ears pierced. I have my ears stretched to 6mm or 2 gauge, which I know a lot of people disagree with, but I am sensitive to cheap metal in my ears and hated not wearing earring so I stretched my ears up and don't intend to go any bigger. I have about 12/13 tattoos, and my next session will be finishing off my half sleeve, hopefully this week, it was supposed to be last week but was sick with the flu last week:( I'm planning to do a blog post on tattoos with the help of my tattoo artist Eric, from Freedom Ink, and Gentleman Jay a very good friend of mine who's also a tattoo artist, so if anyone has any questions they'd like me to ask just comment below or on my Instagram! I have to say I think piercings and tattoos on the opposite sex extremely attractive too!:)

                                               

   

         4: I left school just as I was about to turn 16 due to a terrible bout of anxiety and depression. Eventually I started to work and have worked in a pizza place, hairdressers, retail, call centre, clothes boutique and eventually decided to go back and do my final exams before college and happily moved on to college:) The crappy jobs that I did before I went back to education are the drive behind me working at college when I really don't want to be there. Sometimes half the battle behind figuring out what you want to do, is finding what you really don't want to do. Even though everyone I knew from school has moved on, and I'm older than a lot of students I study with, I'm glad I waited to go to college, I know a lot more about myself and what I want out of life than I did when I was 18.

       5: I have a very negative body image. I don't like looking at my face and body and thats why I hardly ever put pictures up here of my full face or body, this is also why I find it hard to post face of the day or outfit of the day pictures. It mostly comes back to a very low self esteem due to incidents from my past, and I'll be working through that now my team have identified it. I'm also trying to loose the stone I put on on hospital and finally get in control of my weight, once and for all. But I'll be doing another post on that exclusively. I also photograph very badly and don't turn to in pictures like I actually look like! So please bare with me if I don't a lot of face of the day makeup! 

     6: I love reading. I have hardly any time during the college year to read books, so I don't read half as much as I should anymore. I love the way you can loose yourself in a good book, figure out how the characters look in your head and become totally absorbed in the story and their lives. Two of the best books I have read over the summer are 'The Adulteress' and 'Unravelling Oliver', they are definitely worth a read, because they're human stories. I suppose what I mean by that is they deal with ordinary people and how what happens to their lives makes them into different people. Also you have a preconceived idea of what you instantly think of the main character, but you find yourself challenging that when you read their stories, or at the least partially understanding their actions. 

                                 

       7: I love to write! Ok I don't know if you can count that as a fact, since you probably already know that by the fact I'm writing a blog. When I was younger though I wrote short stories and poems (yes I was that sort of teenager!) and through out most of my life have kept a written journal. I don't write stories or poetry any more, but I love writing my journal as its a great outlet for me and helps me to de stress and get things off my chest. I have to have my diaries in an A5 size, spiral bound, lined and have something cool on the cover, like hello kitty or something!  I think the blog is a great way to connect with people who  are like you and interested in the same things, and I have met some lovely people through it:) I suppose it's my way of putting my life out there too, and I do love writing about beauty, especially about affordable products, as I think some blogs are very high end product focus, and not everyone has the money for it:/ The mental health side of the blog is my way of accepting my own mental health, help other people to understand what the reality of struggling with your mental health is like, especially when you're in your 20's and reminding people whom have their own issues that they're not alone. A big part of it as well is I want to show that people who suffer with their mental health have everyday lives, problems and interests too. 

                                      

     8: I am really short with tiny hands and feet! I am 4'11, with a size UK2 foot or E.U. 34/35.  I hate trying to find trousers that fit or shoes for going out, its impossible! I have a bit of weight on me and a lot of the petite ranges don't seem to have size 10/12 left:( People think it's great because I can buy kids shoes, but when it comes to going out shoes I wind up having to look in specialists shops which means spending a fortune.  My mam and dad are quite short, though both over 5 foot, but my brother is very tall so he clearly got all the height! It has its uses and generally makes people think I'm younger than I am!

   9: From the ages of 12-14 I lived in Budapest in Hungary. My dad works with aircraft so he travels a lot, but this time we all moved with him. We went to an english speaking private school, as there was no way we could of learnt Hungarian! While we were there we visited Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia. Budapest is beautiful city and the Christmas markets are well worth a visit. 

                                                   

    10: I am terrified, terrified of flying! If there was a word that was 'more frightened' than terrified I'd used that word too. I was always quite scared of flying, which was a pain when we lived abroad, but in the last ten years I haven't flown and I feel sick with fear if I go near the airport! Having previously been in a long distance relationship, it is very restrictive and I am determined to do something about it after college. EasyJet have a programme for people who are terrified of flying which I am hoping to complete, has anyone else every done this programme or any other one? I think its the idea of being in an enclosed space and if someone got air sick around me, but I'm not fully sure what I'm frightened of, but I am determined to beat it!

                                         

    11: I have had my teddy, aptly named Teddy, since Santa brought him when I was seven and he still sleeps in my bed every night. I bring him everywhere I am going to be staying for a while, including college, holidays and hospital! He came from Pennys I discovered later, and is looking a bit worse for wear after several washes and many many years of cuddles! He's the only soft toy I won't let my pets play with and he always sits near my pillows. So sad I know, but it's a comfort thing and he reminds me of home. I love ya teddy!

    

                                                            

      12: Since I've been in hospital I really believe in the saying 'Clean room, clean mind' which basically means that if you're in a neat environment that it will help with how you deal with things when you're having problems. Maybe it's to do with having your room or home in order when you're mind isn't, or being in control of your surroundings when you're not really in control of whats going on in your head. I was never really too pushed before about having things neat, but since I have been home from hospital I find I sleep and think better in a clean tidy room. Or maybe I'm getting old. Actually its probably that! 

      

                                        

     13: I have no interests in brands. I'm much happier to get two items cheaply with no brand name, then get one with a brand name on it. I prefer to judge something on the basis of weather it does the job its supposed to. My Micheal Korres watch was €20 from a stall and the most brand like bag I have ever owned if from River Island. Saying that, I do have a Pandora with only real charms, and I'd love a Chanel quilted handbag! When it comes to makeup though, I can be a bit more of a brand snob, so far the best eye shadows I've found are M.A.C. but I have no objection to buying cheaper stuff if I find it works! The most expensive item in my make up collection is the Benefit Oxygen Wow foundation, which was €35 approx. As a rule I'm not a fan of Benefit, I think it's waaay over priced!

     14: I am surgically attached to my i-phone and I must change! I actually sleep with it charging under my pillow, but I have a good reason for that! I suffer with tinitus, which means I have a ringing or buzzing in my ears all the time, and it's particularly noticeable when there is no other noise around, so I use the rain apps or youtube videos to help me sleep. But I am terrible for always having my head in my phone, I hardly ever use it for calls, but I text a lot and live on instagram. I really have to stop!!

              

                                       

  15: I have incredibly pale skin,my body is pure white and I don't tan I burn. My skin is so pale that when I wear fake tan, which is seriously rare, I just look weird and dirty! It's very difficult to find a pale foundation pale enough unless you go for something higher end, but I have found recently that brands are getting better, I have two different formulations from Rimmel in Ivory and I have to say they're very good colour wise. I might do a blog post on paler foundations if anyone is interested? I recently purchased a white foundation to mix with mine from Makeup Revolution so I'll let you know how I get on with that. A good white foundation that isn't high end can be difficult to find but this cost me about €4! 

   16: I suffer really badly with home sickness, and miss my family tons! In the first year of college I decided I couldn't cope with the home sickness and was going home! I think in college it's something everyone goes through, even if they don't admit it. But in general I am not great at being away from home, and I have to text or talk to my mom every day, I still miss my dad and brother, but they drive me mad! I used to try get the dog on Skype and the phone, which didn't really work out!

                                    

    17: I hate Christmas. I know, I know, people are going to be like 'You're such a scrooge', but Christmas is a very hard time for me. For the last few years its been fairly crap, people were sick, my dad was away working in Abu Dhabi, family arguments, stupid stuff like that, but it affects how I feel about Christmas. I used to think I was a minority until I was in hospital last year, and a lot of people seem to hate Christmas! I came home Christmas eve from the hospital and had Christmas eve and day with my family and had to go back to hospital St Steven's day, the whole thing was a bit of a blur. I remember my mam making this special tree especially for me (I'll post a picture below), and watching Despicable Me 2. I was still going through withdrawals at that stage so dinner was not a big thing for me. But I dislike Christmas because it starts now before Halloween in the shops and by the time December comes around I just feel meh! I dislike it as well because I don't get that Christmassy feeling anymore, and I wish I could get it back, and it sucks so badly that I can't, and I feel I'm missing out on something wonderful that everyone else gets but me. In my home house my mom loves Christmas and goes to so much trouble, but she's the only person like that in our house. I don't know, maybe Christmas will improve for me and I'll develop happier memories.  In the mean time the wonderful tree my mom made, even though this picture makes me quite emotional..

                                      

  18: Moving on! I'm quite good at interior design. I can't do the drawings or room plans but I know what looks good together, I have a good eye for things like colour and pattern and I can visualise a room quite well before its even put together. I seriously thought about studying it at college but I wouldn't of enjoyed having to draw up room plans and mood boards and work with fussy people with no taste!

   19: I have had four operations in my life time. One to remove a growth from my wrist, one to remove a really large absess from my right jaw, one to sew up fissures and one to cut the nerves that cause period pains! After the one on my jaw they didn't sew the face up properly so the right side of my face looks a little slanted I think, especially around my mouth:( I have scars from all the operations, but luckily none of them are majorly visible.

   20: I'm not afraid of needles, but every time I get my blood taken I get really weak and pass out! The first time it happened to me was outside the doctor's office and a really nice old man told me it was a sign of being a really nice person:)

                                           

  So there is my 20 things about me! I hope it was a bit fun to read and learn more about me as a person. Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to read it as I know it's a bit long, if anyone has any questions or comments please feel free to leave them below! 

  xxxxx