10 tips for students to fight anxiety and perform well in their careers

 Below are 10 topics that will provide help student's community to come out stronger and more career-focused than ever, have a look.

Here are 10 tips for students | Representational image

The pandemic has undoubtedly been the biggest test students have had to ever take. And unlike school examinations, there is really no right or wrong way of coping, other than coming through on the other side, stronger, more resilient, and ready to take on the future.

However, there are various educational institutions that have been committed to providing the right emotional support to the students from Day 1 of the lockdown. From bringing on board two full-time counsellors for 1-2-1 sessions to running regular mental health workshops.

Below are 10 topics that will help the student's community to come out stronger and more career-focused than ever. Have a look:

Here is how students can fight anxiety and perform well in their careers | Representational image

1. Practice self-care: Self-care is any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. Good self-care is the key to improved mood and reduced anxiety.

2.Prioritise your free time: Prioritising your free time is crucial if you are a student. You may feel the need to always be 'switched on' to gadgets, as there are no social activities to break up your time. Allow yourself to take time out and just be idle and 'free.'

3. Upskill, upskill, upskill: Promote the development of skills such as Emotional Intelligence, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Storytelling, Conflict management, and Decision-making. In a constantly changing Socio-Economic and cultural environment, having the right skills is an essential part of being able to meet the challenges of everyday life.

4. Practice emotional first-aid and mindfulness: As humans, we sustain common psychological injuries such as rejection or failure regularly. In such times, it becomes imperative that we take care of our minds by practicing giving them emotional first Aid. It is both important for our well-being and our holistic growth.

5. Spread positivity to those around you: The pandemic has caused much grief, loss, and uncertainty. It is also important that we share a lens towards the silver lining and reflect on some of the positives that have come out over this difficult time. It is necessary to focus on both sides during the current period.

6. Choose what information you want to consume: Treat the information you consume the same way as you would the food you consume. Scrolling on social media and news platforms endlessly puts the publishers in charge of what they are feeding you. Be selective about what, when, and how much information you take in.

7. Recognise depression or anxiety disorder: While many students might feel low or upset at times, depression and anxiety disorders are real and need specialist attention. Not everyone understands the experience of these disorders or how to respond when they or someone around them is suffering from them. It is okay to seek help and get the guidance you need to come out stronger.

8. Learn to turn bad days into motivating experiences: As we all know, no day is alike in anyone's life. There are days when we feel that we have achieved whatever we had set for that day and feel elated and fulfilled. We typically call them good days. But there are days when things don't turn out as we hoped they would. Take away the learning from the day and see how they can motivate you instead of the other way around.

9. Manage your expectations: Do not underestimate the emotional load that this pandemic brings, or the impact it will have on your productivity. Students might find themselves distracted, unable to concentrate. But the important thing to remember is that your body and mind are trying to adapt to a new situation, and you have to allow it time. Manage your expectations with your academic work and set realistic goals that will put you back in charge.

10. Accept the New Normal after Covid-19: Things are different and it will remain to be that way for some time. We should accept that and help it to enrich the way we live and influence new patterns for the future. We should evolve, innovate and reinvent the way we work, the way we eat, and the way we communicate. Developing connectedness, Better Preparation, Nourishing Productiveness is the way forward.

We firmly believe that learning continues as before and as it should but the grief, anxiety, and loss facing students need to be addressed by institutions they attend. When we look back at this time years from now, it is the support, the action, the adjustment, the resilience that will remain in our minds, not how we were assessed in percentages.

— Article by Dr Ajeenkya D Y Patil, President, Ajeenkya DY Patil University