Medical student, Iman, shares advice on how she deals with stress.
Being a medical student can sometimes have its ups and downs and it is possible to feel burned out at times, but there is always something you can do about it! Preston is a wonderful town and it has places that will remind you of home whenever you go. There are a few things I do to wind down after a long week which help me to destress.
Every week I enjoy taking a walk to either Avenham Park or Moor Park. Moor park is closer to campus but is mostly grassy fields whereas Avenham park is further into town but has lots of flowers and trees as well. The fresh air is extremely helpful in simply clearing my mind and for a while I like to believe that I have no worries and simply enjoy my surroundings.
I tend to wear my headphones and blast music the whole walk but sometimes just talking with someone about your day and laughing together can work wonders for your mental health. Avenham, I must say, is my favourite park because it is so beautiful. It has the most beautiful little section which has a pond with a bridge overlooking the small area. There are also different paths you can take to fully enjoy your walk and it is a great place to sit down and relax.
Alternatively, I enjoy going for a meal with friends as the social interaction helps fade my stress. Having a good laugh over a coffee is the best during the winter months. I also like renting a bicycle and simply taking a ride to the docks where we then get some milkshakes from Mc Donalds and just have a fun conversation.
Something else that I have found helpful is studying in the library where I can be out of my room but still doing work, which makes you feel more productive. Going to the library also helps with getting to meet different people and it is good to know that there is always someone who can relate and help as they are going through similar university experiences.
Looking after your mental health is just as important as looking after your physical health and we should not be solely focused on our studies so much so that we forget to have fun. Having a destressing routine that I can rotate around my studies helped me so much and I hope this gives you some ideas as well.
