It's OK to not be OK

 By Team D

            When I first came to Penn State I had an idea of what campus was and should be. This became not only a goal but the only thing I thought about. Get the best grades, make lots of friends, and have fun! But it wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine. I struggled to make friends and I’m still not confident I’m done looking. I skipped a lot of classes just because I couldn’t bring myself to go, even though I tried. I failed one class and was too stubborn to drop it. My roommate and I hated each other. She stayed up all night and I went to bed early (doomed from night one). But I’m not trying to scare you away; rather, I want to remind you it is 100% OK to not be ok.

In my fall semester I set such a high standard for myself, and when I didn't meet those standards I was devastated. I realized failing is a part of learning and really one of the most important parts of learning. It is ok if you miss your family and friends at home. It is also ok if you realize you need to take less credits or maybe switch your major. It is also ok if you need to seek professional help, but know your mentors and envoys are always one message away. There is so much more to Penn State than the highlights you will see online. Below are some of Team D’s favorite ways to destress and center ourselves on campus, but these are certainly not the only ways! It is crucial that you make time for yourself and enjoy every simple moment. 

   ~ Kennedy, Team D Envoy

One way you can work on de-stressing at school is blocking out time in your schedule to relax and hang out with friends. I find that by setting aside planned relaxation time, I feel less guilty for taking time to relax when I have scheduled work times. Personally, I try to make it a rule for myself to not do any homework on Friday nights, so I can relax from the week. Plus, I know that I have lots of time Saturday and Sunday to prepare for the upcoming week. In addition, don’t be afraid to lean on your friends! Even “doing work” with friends in your classes will feel less stressful and will do wonders for your mental health. Always know that you are not alone in your classes and any academic struggles! 

~ Melina, Mech E, Team D Mentor

I think changing up your work space can be a great way to get out of a funk/feel better and more productive. For me, I had a hard time getting work done in my dorm, so going to the hub with friends and sitting by the big windows or on the terrace turned out to be a productive space. Also, the tables at the corner of the Millennium Science Complex are a great space to do work outside in the shade. These tables also offer beautiful and calming scenery with the gardens and birds there! Don’t forget to also use these spaces as a reset, I found especially getting a group of friends to all go to the hub created a productive but relaxed space where we all did some work, while also taking the time to hang out and talk/eat together. 

~ Hanna, Aero E, Team D Mentor

Hub Terrace, located on the second floor of the Hub!

          Hanna with the whiteboard find on campus, studying for calc 3!

I am still trying to figure out my “best ways to destress” because I tend to be easily overwhelmed, but as weird as it may sound my best technique is to just give in, have a good cry and lay in bed and be sad. Take a weird cold shower to depressing music. It is ok if you feel a little stupid or dramatic. The reason we cry when we are sad is to release the sad chemicals from our brains and make room for oxytocin. I also found that playing youtube music and watching videos on my computer passed time and helped me move on from issues that were not as big of a deal as I thought. 

~ Kennedy, Team D Envoy

The hardest part about transitioning to college life for me was being able to separate my school and social lives, living in such a small place makes it easy for the two to intertwine. I had to figure out how to say no to plans when I had work to do and how to find the time to enjoy time with friends. I have always been very motivated by grades, so it was hard for me to step away from the books. However, I eventually found a balance and found spaces where I could go to destress with friends without having to think about school. The most common and easiest place I did this with friends was the dining hall. We would eat dinner together a lot in the dining halls all around campus. The dining hall allowed us to meet with each other at the end of our days and talk about everything: school work, our families, gossip on our dorm floor, and more. These dinners helped me form close relationships and also come closer to the very important school and life balance. Although we did eventually get sick of the dining hall food, we continued to eat dinner together in the HUB, or the Starbucks library, or a restaurant downtown and each one helped me feel better by the end of a stressful day.

~ Ellie, Team D Envoy

In conclusion, what you do isn’t as important as finding what works best for you. Mental health is a journey and moving out to school is a journey too, don't do them both alone. Find your place on campus and make it your own!