Making the Adjustment (back) into Your Student Life

As you make your transition into your life here at Oberlin, here are some suggestions to care for your mental health and wellbeing.  

Adjustment and Routine

• Be gentle with yourself as you adjust - there are likely significant differences between your routines, schedules, expectations, and relationships at your summer destination and at Oberlin. Take time to observe and adjust to these changes. 
• Implement a routine including a regular sleep schedule and mealtimes. 
  • Waking up at a consistent time allows your body to build up a sleep drive to produce those sleepy feelings at night so you can fall asleep more easily. 
    • Learn more about what helps to improve sleep and build a night time routine.
    • Try using a sleep diary to aid in building insight into your habits. 
  • Meals at regular intervals throughout the day can be regulating for mood as well as energy levels. Maintaining regularity can also help to establish routine and regular anchor points in your day. 
• Consider taking a more structured approach to your days or weeks. Be sure to make a plan before the plan is going to start (perhaps, the Sunday before the week or in the evening before the next day). This allows a sense of volition and empowerment rather than feeling an externalized sense of “have to.” You can better shape your life to your values when being intentional.  There are many ways to accomplish this- here are a few. 
  • Identifying tasks that you want to accomplish each day of the week
  • Planning out time blocks - such that you transition from one activity to another using time (i.e. ending work every evening by 8PM, taking mornings before your first class for to journal, or planning a certain time every day to work at Mudd)
  • Planning out each hour. 
• Separate tasks from projects. A project is a large goal that involves multiple tasks to complete (e.g. writing a paper). A task is a single, specific item or action that contributes to the completion of a larger project (e.g. reading one article or writing a paragraph). If it’s more than one item, it’s a project! 

Making Meaning

• Engage with things you find meaningful. Consider what your values are (e.g. creativity, relationships, inner-peace). If you are unsure what your values are, consider exploring this worksheet, this workbook, and/or the Values in Action questionnaire- to provide you with a place to start.  Use your values to guide your actions.
• Try to manage your expectations of yourself. Oftentimes one of the biggest barriers to making progress is feeling overwhelmed with getting started or trying to do too many things all at once.
• Try to pick a few small things that are most important to you and celebrate the small wins along the way (for example, if you have always wanted to learn guitar, perhaps start with learning how to read music and/or to play one song). Building habits and systems bolsters your values and identity.

Building Relationships

• Get outside your comfort zone. Continue to explore your interests and curiosities. Having shared interests is a great way to make new friends! Consider taking an exco, joining a club/organization, and/or attending on campus events like this Speed Friending event.  Remember, its normal and okay to feel nervous or anxious, that’s why it’s called getting outside of your comfort zone! 
• Stay connected with your support system. Talk more specifically with your friends about how you want to stay connected even when you are busy. For example, set up a weekly game night, make a discord server to share content, or set a standing hangout time for the group to meet every week to check in. Perhaps engage with friends toward a shared goal (starting a band) or find ways to encourage one another and provide accountability (texting each other about the times you went to dance class to provide encouragement). 

Self-Care

• Try to take a compassionate stance toward yourself. Think about the way you talk to yourself and ask if this is the same way you would talk to your closest loved one. Check out this resource on how to implement self-compassion in your daily life. 
• Take time to reflect on your intentions this year. Journal and/or ask yourself or a trusted other about what went well, what challenges you encountered, and what you learned about yourself while navigating the previous school years. Consider applying those lessons as you plan for the fall (e.g. “Last year I felt overwhelmed with extra-curriculars, maybe I’ll be intentional about how many I commit to this year.”)
• Incorporate mindfulness and self-care into your day. Incorporating mindfulness into your day, whether it’s a few minutes of meditation (see our MindSpa) or journaling (check out these journaling prompts), can help you feel grounded. Take time to listen to music, go on walks, create, or otherwise express yourself. 
• Setting up your room. Environmental cues are powerful influencers of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. You get to select what you put on your walls and how you decorate your space! Choose posters, pictures, decorations that bring you joy, comfort, and/or peace. 
• Use Online Self-Help Resources
  • Uwill offers students a platform chock full of helpful videos, resources, and tools (all available using your Oberlin email to sign in) 
  • MindSpa has virtual relaxation resources created by CAPS which includes resources on meditation, relaxation, mental health podcasts and more
  • JED Mental Health Resource Center is an online resource center for college students to search for the information they need including on various mental health topics, advice on helping a friend, and self-assessment tools
  • Check out our Instagram for mental health related resources, activities and events

Connecting with Mental Healthcare

• CAPS - We offer free and confidential individual and couple’s therapy, groups, psychiatry, as well as consultation and case management. Email us at CAPS@oberlin.edu or call at 440-775-8470 to schedule an appointment! 
• UWill - All students at Oberlin have access to 6 free virtual sessions - same-day appointments available
• Finding an off-campus provider
  • Thriving Campus is an online database of community providers- you can search by specific specialties, time openings, and insurance. 
  • Check out this "How to Find a Provider" resource for additional search, engines, tips for talking with a new therapist, and ways to navigate insurance
• If you are currently on the student health insurance plan, you can review your benefits information, including resources for Teletherapy

If you need immediate support-  see our crisis resources page.