Looking after your mental health in your first year at uni

First year at uni gets sold as the best year of your life, and for plenty of people it ends up being a good one. But it's also a lot at once: a new city or a new routine, new people, a new way of learning, money stress, and often the first time you're running your own life without someone checking you've eaten. Feeling wobbly in the middle of all that isn't a sign you've made the wrong choice. It's a sign you're human and adjusting. The good news is there are small, everyday things that genuinely help, and there are people whose actual job is to support students when things get heavier.

Why first year can feel so heavy

A few pressures tend to stack up in the first months:

• Losing your old structure. School had bells, timetables and teachers who noticed when you went quiet. Uni has a lot of unstructured time, and it's easy to drift.
• Starting socially from scratch. Everyone seems to have found their people by week three. They haven't, but it can look that way.
• Academic shock. Your first marks might be lower than you're used to. That's really common as you learn how university assessment works.
• Money. Rent, food, transport and course costs can feel relentless, especially if you're new to budgeting.
• Comparison. Social media makes everyone else's first year look like a highlight reel.

None of these means something is wrong with you. Naming them can take some of the sting out.

The Five Ways to Wellbeing

The Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand promotes the Five Ways to Wellbeing, a simple set of everyday actions that support wellbeing. They translate surprisingly well to uni life.

Connect (me whakawhanaunga)

Say yes to some things, even the slightly awkward ones. Sit next to someone in a tutorial, join one club, go to the free barbecue. Keep in touch with friends and whānau from home too, but don't let that be the only connection you have.

Be active (me kori tonu)

You don't need a gym membership. Walk to campus, kick a ball around with flatmates, try a social sports team. Moving your body in a way you enjoy is one of the most reliable mood lifters there is.

Take notice (me aro tonu)

Look up from the phone on the walk between lectures. Notice the weather, the tūī, the coffee that's actually good. Small moments of attention break up the blur of a busy week.

Keep learning (me ako tonu)

This one sounds odd for students, but it's about curiosity beyond your assessments: learning to cook a new meal, picking up a few words of te reo, trying an instrument.

Give (tukua)

Helping others is good for you as well as them. Volunteer for a club role, help a classmate understand a concept, or shout a flatmate a feed when they're stressed.

The basics: sleep, food and movement

It's not glamorous, but the basics hold a lot up.

• Sleep. Late nights happen, but a rough pattern of going to bed and waking at similar times makes a real difference to mood and concentration.
• Food. Regular meals beat living on two-minute noodles and energy drinks. Cook in bulk with flatmates, keep easy staples on hand, and eat breakfast before morning lectures.
• Movement. Even short walks count. If you've stopped a sport you played at school, see whether there's a social version on campus.
• Alcohol. Drinking culture can be a big part of first year. It's fine to say no, to have a few alcohol-free nights a week, or to leave early. Alcohol often makes low or anxious feelings worse the next day.

Campus support is there for a reason

New Zealand universities have student health and counselling services, along with things like disability support, chaplaincy, learning advisers and student associations that can help with academic or money worries. Many polytechnics and wānanga have similar support. Details differ between campuses, so check your institution's student services page or ask at orientation where to find them.

A few things worth knowing:

• These services are set up for exactly the kind of stuff students go through. You don't need to be in crisis to use them.
• Waiting lists can build up later in the semester, so it's worth reaching out early rather than waiting until exams.
• If you're struggling with study because of how you're feeling, talk to your course coordinator or student support. There are often options such as extensions or special consideration.

When to reach out

Everyone has bad days. It's worth talking to someone when:

• low mood, worry or stress sticks around for more than a couple of weeks
• you're pulling away from friends, skipping most classes, or not enjoying things you used to
• your sleep or eating has changed a lot
• you're relying on alcohol or other drugs to cope
• you're having thoughts that life isn't worth living

Reaching out can be as simple as telling one friend, a family member, a tutor you trust, or your GP. You don't have to have the right words. "I'm not doing great and I don't really know why" is a perfectly good start.

Free support you can contact any time

• 1737. Free call or text 1737 any time, day or night, to talk with a trained counsellor or peer support worker. You can find out more at 1737.
• Youthline. A free, confidential service for young people, with a helpline, text, webchat and more. See the options on the Youthline get help page.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call emergency services straight away.

Looking out for your mates

You'll probably notice when a friend is going through it before they say anything. You don't need to fix it. Check in, listen more than you talk, and gently point them to support, or offer to sit with them while they make the call or book the appointment. And if you're the one who's struggling, remember your mates would most likely want to know.

A hopeful note

First year is a transition, and transitions are bumpy. Most people find their footing, often in ways they didn't expect: the friend from the tutorial, the club they almost didn't join, the second semester that just clicked. Look after the basics, stay connected, and ask for help early. Things can and do get better. For more, browse our wellbeing hub.