Before you go to university, you’re told that it will be the best time of your life and that you’ll be having a fantastic time each and every day. But we know that isn’t always true, and sometimes you can end up feeling lonely at university.
You may be having a great time, and that’s good! But what about your friends? You may notice that one of your friends doesn’t seem so happy and seems to be struggling at university. How can you support them through it?
Read on to find out the best ways you can support your friends struggling at university.
Offer Your Support
The first step to take is to simply let your friend know that you’re there for them and you will support them through anything. They might not want to admit right away that they are feeling low or struggling at university, but it will mean a lot to them to know that you care.
Let them know that whether they need someone to talk to, to get advice from or to simply hang out with, that you are there for them.
Keep Inviting Them Out
You may notice that this friend seems to turn down social invitations and shut themselves away from fun events. If they are struggling with mental health, they may feel like isolating themselves is the best thing to do.
But make sure to keep inviting them to fun things and try to encourage them to come out. They will still like to feel included and once they do go out, they may start to feel a lot better.
Reach Out With Small Gestures
If your friend is suffering with mental health issues, they may feel like they can’t do anything. Offer to help them out a bit with small gestures to ease their burden.
Get them a cup of tea or make some food for them. Remind them of their next class and form a study group with them so they can get their assignments done. These are small things that can make a big difference.
Encourage Them To Seek Help
If their mental health is seriously impacting their life, it’s a good idea for them to seek help. Of course, you can’t force anyone to get help, but try to encourage them to do so. There’s only so much a friend can do and a trained mental health professional is always the best option.
Offer to accompany them to their doctors appointment or walk with them and meet them afterwards. Things like this can help them to feel less alone and ease any anxiety they may be having.
Still Be Their Friend
Just because they are going through something doesn’t mean you can’t still be their friend. It’s important that you don’t shoulder the burden of their struggles yourself, otherwise you will suffer too.
Invite them to things and treat them as though you would treat any other of your friends. Stay in contact with them, but don’t allow yourself to be their number one caregiver.
These Are the Best Ways to Support Your Friends Struggling at University
If you have a friend who is struggling at university, these are just a few useful ways you can help them out. We all go through hard times in life, and just having a friend there to support us can make the world of difference.
Struggling at university yourself? Read out blog post for tips on how to deal with it.
