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Essential support for under 25s
Essential support for under 25s
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I know it can be difficult to ask for support when you relapse, because there can be this feeling of 'oh but I should be okay now', but it's just as valid to seek support for a relapse and there's no shame in it.
As @Ewan_R said above, that might mean retaking exams (which is absolutely okay), talking to a professional, or just outright taking some time away from studies. It's about doing what you need to do for your mental health, and there isn't necessarily a right answer there.
If you do find yourself reaching breaking point and it all just feels too much, there are crisis services out there who can support you in the short term:
And if you're under 19, you can contact Childline: Getting mid and long-term support is important too of course, but if you need something to get you through those intense moments, these options are here.
You don't have to deal with these things alone.
It's probably best to start small and work your way up. I'd advise looking into the Pomodoro system. There are plenty of online timers available, as well as phone apps. I personally use Productivity Challenge Timer. The usual default split for the Pomodoro system is working for 25-minute stretches, with 5-minute breaks. You do say 4 of these sessions (don't be afraid to adjust this to best suit you), and go for a longer break say of 1 hour to 90 minutes where you can take a proper break from your work with a walk, exercise or have food. I've found it useful to split different topics by long breaks, too. For example, I'll do 4 x 25-minute sessions on this essay, have an hour break, then do 4 x 25 minutes on reading this textbook/paper. In my experience, this allows for a higher level of focus on each task.
This may be the optimal way for you to work already, but if you find that, depending on the type of task also, that the short sessions disrupt your workflow, play around with longer sessions and longer breaks. I wouldn't go longer than 90 minutes with an hour break, as it is hard to maintain focus for that long, and it's important to regularly stand up from your desk, stretch your legs etc. This will also help avoid eye strain. Especially in your short breaks, I'd also advise not to do activities like browsing social media. In my opinion, the idea with breaks is to allow your brain to recharge a little bit. Browsing social media doesn't do this in my experience. I feel much more ready to approach my next work block after 5 minutes spent refilling my water bottle, and stretching out a bit (it also allows a break for your computer screen).
To avoid burnout, I've also found it especially important to maintain a work-life balance. Unless you are forced to work overtime for an assignment or something, I recommend you have a set time every day (provided you start working at the same time) where you switch off from your work. If you are able, avoid doing menial tasks like checking emails after this time, as this will keep your head in work mode, rather than relaxing. Make sure to also still do things you enjoy to wind down in the evenings and weekends to allow your mind to recharge. A bit of bonus advice for someone who spends lots of time in front of screens for work is to get a hobby that is screen-independent. For me, that's walking, running, and going to the gym.
To do with choosing your dissertation, It's something that's really tough to do. In my case, the professors offered a list of projects, so I can only offer my experience in this regard. I had to do this whilst studying for exams, so I didn't want to spend too long on it. I started off by making a shortlist of projects based on the title (some are easy enough to rule out based solely on this). Then I read the entire project description, and again cut out ones I think I wouldn't find interesting. I then cut out the projects offered by professors I didn't know (unless it was a super interesting project) or didn't like, and favoured ones offered by professors I know and liked. (An important part of a successful project is getting on with your supervisor!). And then ultimately, I picked the one I found the most interesting and was in an area which I wanted to continue in (which you can base on how much you enjoyed your lectures on each topic). Not sure how exactly your department does things, but I'm sure it's also possible to get in touch with the person offering the project and ask them further questions if you have any.
Ultimately it comes down to interest and potential enjoyment, and working with someone you like, in my opinion.