We asked one of our Student Support and Wellbeing Mental Health Advisers, Tilly Fisher, about some of the common experiences of final year Kent students, and how to deal with the uncertainty of finishing a degree.<\/p>\n
As you head into your final term of studying for your degree, you might be managing lots of conflicting emotions with excitement for completing your degree, but also worry about your final assignments, and what’s going to come next after you graduate.<\/p>\n
Life is full of changes: good and bad, big and small. If you\u2019re coming towards the end of your degree, then there\u2019s going to be a lot of change to face. It\u2019s okay if this feels overwhelming initially – it’s how we approach change that really matters.<\/p>\n
Dealing with uncertainty<\/strong><\/p>\n Keep an open mind: the future can seem uncertain at times, but this doesn\u2019t have to be a bad thing. Sometimes we focus so hard on all the things that could go wrong, that we don\u2019t consider all the exciting new opportunities that could be heading our way. Having worked so hard throughout your degree, nearing the end can feel somewhat surreal, and often unreachable. It is common for people to doubt themselves in these final stages.<\/p>\n Coping strategies<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re struggling, it is important to highlight your own coping strategies and put them into place. Perhaps this means talking to friends and family about your worries or keeping a diary to document your journey through graduation. Perhaps, like me, you\u2019re a forward thinker \u2013 maybe it would help to set some clear plans and goals for the future, so that things don\u2019t feel so uncertain. Explore your options.<\/p>\n Remember your self care<\/strong><\/p>\n This last one might sound a bit obvious, but you\u2019d be surprised how many people don\u2019t do this. Final year can be heavy and time consuming. You’ll be busy studying for exams and finishing off your last assignments, but don\u2019t forget the little stuff: Are you getting enough sleep? Eating regular meals? Making time for socializing and enjoying life outside of academia? These things are important too. Whatever the future brings, you have worked so hard to get here and that is an accomplishment in itself. So embrace the change, you just might surprise yourself.<\/p>\n Support at Kent<\/strong><\/p>\n For information on wellbeing support and resources available to Kent students (including 24\/7 support services), have a look at the Student Support and Wellbeing webpages<\/a>.<\/p>\n