By Oritsejolomisan Edun
Let's be honest: Resumption isn't fun for all of us. Some can't wait to reconnect with their friends and breathe in the Great Ife air after months away. Others wish the holiday could last a bit longer because eating without a debit alert is a real thing at home, and good sleep is just a bed away. And then there are those in the middle—indifferent.
Whichever category you fall into, one thing is certain: the holiday is over, and a new session has begun. While many resources talk about how to prepare academically or physically for a new session, mental health is often overlooked. Yet, to have a successful semester, your mental health must be in good shape.
So, before the marathon of overnights and deadlines begins, here are seven ways to protect your sanity this semester:
1. Accept that OAU will be OAU:
You can't crush the system, but you can protect yourself from getting crushed by it. And that starts with acceptance: OAU will stress you.
Lecturers may change class venues at the last minute. You might spend your last cash to board Town-Gboro, only for lectures to be cancelled. The water supply may stop for days. The portal could fail when you're ready to pay your school fees.
There are many things you can't control, especially as a student in a federal university. But you can control one thing: Your response.
Accept that some things won't go as planned. Laugh about the stress when you can, and don't let inconvenience ruin your peace—or your appetite. Eat well if you can. Don't let OAU stop you from eating, my dear.
2. Reflect on the last semester:
Before you go full speed, pause and look back. What made last semester seem draining? What helped you stay afloat?
Maybe you joined too many activities, started studying too late, or stayed in friendships that left you anxious. Maybe you even experienced heartbreak. Whatever it was, reflect and figure out how to avoid repeating the same patterns.
Perhaps you performed poorly in a test because anxiety took over—even after studying. Maybe it was all the side talks about how ‘terrible’ the course or lecturer was.
If you want to maintain your sanity, mind what you give attention to.
3. Reset Your Mind and Space:
OAU can be physically and mentally draining. That's why keeping your environment clean and orderly matters more than you think. It gives you the space to think clearly.
Sweep, rearrange your books, clean your utensils—basically, keep your physical space tidy. Psychologists say clutter creates ‘visual noise’ that overloads the brain with unnecessary stimuli.
Reset your digital space too. Delete old WhatsApp messages, unused apps, old PDFs, and unnecessary screenshots.
And most importantly, reset your mind. Praying, journaling, and lying flat on my bed in silence help me.
4. Build a Gentle Routine:
James Clear once said, ‘You don't rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.’
Add structure to your life and academics. Start building atomic habits now.
For example, study 30 minutes daily. I tell you for free, reading consistently in bits beats back-to-back overnights during exams.
As you build your routine, include rest. Only a well-rested body can think clearly and stay sane.
5. Protect Your Energy:
Mind what you read, listen to, and dwell on. Listening to the wrong things can shape how you view a course—and perform in it. Eventually, it will affect your mental health because nobody likes bad grades.
I know other external factors can affect grades, but focus on what you can control. When I was in Part 1, I didn’t do as well as I hoped because I let the majority’s fear about certain courses influence me. My grades improved in Part 2 when I changed my internal beliefs.
Avoid gossip, needless arguments, and negative energy. You know those people who always blame lecturers for everything? Keep your distance. If they’re your friends, set boundaries.
As part of protecting your energy, don't be a ‘Yes-person’. You don't have to escort your friend to their hostel gate every night.
6. Reconnect with Your ‘Why’:
Some staylites don't have a strong ‘why’ anymore. They're just going with the ‘Make I just graduate’ mindset. And to be honest, that's enough — depending on what you're pursuing. But you know why you are here.
Maybe you're chasing your dream career, or you simply don't want your parents' sacrifices to go to waste. When OAU gets overwhelming, remind yourself of your why.
7. Give Yourself Grace:
Start by setting realistic expectations. You won't always have it all together. There will be days when you oversleep, miss a class, or just feel drained. That doesn’t make you unserious—it just makes you human.
And when the results don't reflect your efforts, still give yourself grace. Remind yourself that one (or many) bad grades or a rough week doesn't define your worth. And if negative or bad thoughts come, don't battle them alone. Reach out to someone you trust: a friend, mentor, or counsellor.
Give yourself room to breathe, even when things don't go as planned—that’s grace.
8. Have the Right Community:
You need people. Even if you’re not the most social person, surrounding yourself with the right people matters.
You need friends who can hold you up when you feel like breaking down; the ones who will pray with you, laugh with you, study with you, or simply sit in silence beside you when words aren’t enough.
They could be from your department, religious group, social club, or hostel. Just make sure they’re people who encourage you to grow, stay positive, and keep moving, even when ‘EFCC’ is living on your portal.
Conclusion
Indeed, OAU is not for the faint-hearted. There are empty tanks, overcrowded halls, and system failures. But you can thrive—or at least, survive—through it all.
The earlier you start protecting your mind, the better your chances of finishing the semester strong—not just academically, but emotionally too.
Comments
Post a Comment