Student life is full of academics, deadlines, research papers, fear of missing out and what not. This often results in stress which students deal with in their everyday life. Someone might be figuring out assignment deadlines while some might be handling the stress of finding flexible student accommodation in UK. Simply put, there are numerous reasons that add stress to student’s lives. Student stress problems are increasing day by day and at a fast pace.

If you are an international student, we understand the reasons for your stress. Factors like living alone, managing studies as well as taking care of yourself entirely on your own is a very stressful thing. But don’t you worry as in this blog, we have penned down some of the ways to beat stress for students. From student housing to stress, we at Uninist ensure to help every student in UK. This blog has a list of ways and tips on how to relieve stress. So, keep on reading as there are methods which will blow your mind to fight stress well! 

What is Student Stress and its Causes? 

In the layman’s terms, stress is your body’s natural response to challenges or unsaid pressure. This is the most simple explanation when it comes to stress. The student stress is often triggered when demands feel greater than your ability to cope. For international students in UK, there can be numerous factors for stress. Some of the top reasons include: 

• Adjusting to a new culture, 
• Managing academic workload, 
• Dealing with financial pressure,
• Finding student accommodation in UK, or 
• Feeling homesick

Not only these, there are other factors too such as dealing with language barrier, social pressure and more. And, the pressure of achieving great things also adds to the stress. However, some stress can be motivating sometimes but prolonged stress can cause mental and physical health issues. 

How to Tackle Student Stress as an International Student in UK?

Everything can be fought when you have the right mindset. And just like every other problem, you can beat student stress with the right approach. Here are the top tips on how to relieve stress:

• Stay Connected: One of the best ways to beat stress is by sharing your problem with someone you love, and keeping in touch with your family and friends through calls or messages. This will benefit you to fight with isolation and will definitely reduce some stress. 
• Build a Local Support Network: Join student societies and clubs in your university and make friends. Building a genuine friendship with people can really help and will bring a sense of belonging. 
• Manage your Time Effectively: A lot of student stress comes from procrastination and wastage of time. So, use planners or apps to balance, work, part-time jobs, and leisure activities. After all, when time is well managed, things fall in place without saying. 
• Prioritise Self-Care: Stress can be caused by unhealthy habits as well. Eat healthy, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly to boost mood and energy. Maintaining your physical health can help a lot in keeping your stress in control. 
• Explore Stress Relieving Activities: Performing activities which can regulate stress can help in a long run. Do yoga for stress relief, meditate daily for 5-10 mins, deep breathing, or journalise to keep your mind relaxed and calm. 
• Seek Professional Help: Sometimes seeking professional help can be the most helpful step. Professionals know how to deal with these types of problems and they can provide great advice. You can find professional help in your university counseling services or helpline if stress feels overwhelming.
• Enjoy Your Surroundings: If you are an international student in UK, then you are very lucky because any part of UK is mindblowing. Explore the city, do cafe hopping, visit museums and cultural spots, park, etc. Take breaks to refresh your mind. 

All said, there are plenty of other ways that can be helpful as per your interests. So, do what makes you happy and feel relieved to deal with stress. 

What Are the Student Stress Management Techniques? 

Stress management techniques are quite helpful when it comes to dealing with student stress. Here are some of the top techniques for students to handle stress well: 

• Identify Triggers: Everybody has different trigger points. Hence, it is important to know your stress triggers. You have to identify the problem first then only you can solve it. So, notice what situations cause you stress and address them as soon as possible. 
• Practice Mindfulness and Exercise Daily: Two of the most helpful and working stress management techniques is mindfulness and exercise. Using meditation, breathing exercises, working out, or even short walks can help you. Exercising releases endorphins that reduce stress and mediation calms your mind. 
• Seek Social Support and Set Boundaries: Talking to friends, family, or your loved one can help in reducing stress. You can also seek out support groups to get that encouragement you need! It is also important to know when to say no or learn to say no when you feel overwhelmed. 
• Take Regular Breaks and Engage in Hobbies: Sometimes the best way to beat stress is to forget about it. So, engage in hobbies and activities you like and don’t forget to take a break whenever needed. There are many activities such as gymming, painting, walking, travelling and more to deal with stress. Taking a break once in a while can help you in reducing stress. 

What Are the Signs of Student Stress?

Stress always leaves some signs behind which can help a person in finding whether they suffer from stress or not. It is important to identify student stress. So, here some signs you should know: 

• Physical Signs: Signs like headache, muscle tension, fatigue, upset stomach, rapid heartbeat, and trouble sleeping are some of the common indicators of stress. Student stress will be indicated through these physical signs.
• Emotional Signs: Just like physical, stress has some emotional signs like irritability, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, low mood, and lack of motivation are some of the common emotional signs you will notice if you suffer from stress. 
• Cognitive Signs: Some of the cognitive signs a person notices when suffering from stress is difficulty concentrating, constant worrying, forgetfulness, and racing thoughts. 
• Behavioral Signs: when dealing with stress, you can notice change in your behaviour. Some of the behavioral signs are changes in eating habits, withdrawing from friends, procrastination, increased use of alcohol or caffeine. 

Conclusion

As you reached the end, we are pretty sure you will now know that you are suffering from student stress or not. Handling stress is a big thing, especially when you are living alone in student accommodation in UK. And, as an international student in UK, managing stress can be difficult sometimes. So, never feel shy to reach out to your loved ones, friends, professional help and others. Follow our tips and tricks to identify and deal with student stress. And, as for the stress of student housing, Uninist is here for you!

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