Top tips to clear away those post-freshers blues

It’s so easy to get caught up in the joys of freshers week after the stress of getting to university and the nerves of meeting new people. And after all, fresher’s week is a time to relax and find your feet. But when the freshers cloud of cheap vodka and dodgy kebabs begins to fade, it can be hard to re-adjust and know what to do with yourself. Here are some tips to help clear away those post-freshers blues and get yourself going for the year ahead.

DJ set
About last night…

Quick off the block: It’s tempting to miss your first few classes – you’re exhausted from your first week and probably suffering from fresher’s flu. However, these first classes give out a lot of information and if you fall behind now, it’ll mean missing a lot of nights out later in the year. Try and make as many as possible and if you absolutely have to miss one then e-mail your lecturer to try and get some information.

Explore: It’s pretty safe to assume that most of your fresher’s experience took place in a kitchen, some questionable dark clubs and the local chicken shop. So get out and explore the area you’re in! Go for brunch, join a local sports team or get rid of all those fresher’s toxins with a nice spa day and massage. As an added bonus, you can get discounts for so many of these activities at the freshers fare!

Class Of University Students
Reminder – lectures are what you’re here for!

Supplement: It’s nice to have some down time, but remember you’ll never have this much free time again. You’ll probably regret it if you don’t make the most of your spare time at uni – so take up something on the side of your studies. Whether that’s photography or another language, broaden your horizons and you never know when it might come in handy.

Don’t feel trapped: Many students will spend freshers with their flatmates – mainly because this is easy and can help them feel more secure. This doesn’t mean you have to be best friends with these people for your entire life or even until third year – you can find friends in your classes or societies too. Do try and keep your flatmates on side though, you do still have to live with them and you don’t want to end up in a passive aggressive notes-on-the-butter stand off! 

Get some kind of routine: Okay, so we’re not going military style but try and get something of a schedule. Nobody wants to be left with a 3000-word essay to write the night before it’s due with a hangover, all our plates to clean and a massive pile of washing (cleaners don’t tend to fit in to the student budget – although for the lazy of you, we can help with finding a cleaner!) It is inviting to “forget” about tasks like this, but they are all part of university life, and getting on top of them can make the difference between grades.

Change course: Don’t be afraid to switch subjects – it’s better to do it early than to find yourself going into 3rd year with a course you hate. Do give things some time to settle though, as you might start to enjoy the course once you get into it. If this is on your mind go and speak to your advisor, head of department or even the careers department – all of whom are well placed to comment.

Budget: The most talked about – or the most ignored subject for students. Blowing all your money during freshers may seem like a great idea, but when you’re eating 18p instant noodles along in your room for the three months you might regret it! Many students do go into their overdraft so try and find one with no interest, but also thinking about getting a part-time job. It’s a great way of meeting new people and exploring the town a little more, and can help you make ends meet. 

 instant noodle
Trust us. You’ll regret it

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Your health is your wealth! Alternative ways to keep your mind and body healthy from Bark.com

We live in a rat race. It’s a lifestyle where we’re constantly exposed to stress, with increasing workloads, hectic schedules and an expensive cost of living. Long work hours, unpaid overtime, stressful jobs, less time with loved ones and the length of time spent commuting has led to emotional exhaustion. Commencing burnout in 3…2…1…

According to British psychologist Dr. Richard Wiseman, the overall pace of life has increased by 10% worldwide since the 1990s. You may even find that some places have seen an increase of 20%! Advancements in technology have contributed to a rise in the collective sense of urgency. The rate at which we communicate and work has increased, contributing to more stress-induced illnesses. A vicious circle, you may agree!

At Bark.com, we believe in working hard. However, we also see the importance of a more harmonious work-life balance. With that, we’ve taken inspiration from a variety of our Sellers to compile a list of alternative ways to fix ailments and keep your mind and body healthy – particularly in this hectic world we live in.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture comes from traditional Chinese medicine and is most commonly used to treat pain. Acupuncture is a technique where thin needles are inserted into the body at specific points, to manipulate the ‘flow’ of energy or Qi. Like blood in the circulatory system, Qi goes through the body via pathways, which are called meridians. According to the University of Miami, when factors like stress, injury or poor nutrition disrupt the regular flow of Qi, health issues follow. Acupuncture can also sometimes provide a boost in your immune system, which is key if you lead an unforgiving and fast paced lifestyle. Not only is Acupuncture good for pain, it is also a natural way to treat anxiety. Experts claim that it works faster than therapy, while keeping you drug-free at the same time. If this alternative treatment is for you, why not search for an Acupuncture specialist in your area?

Acupuncture in practice
Let the Qi flow…

Reiki Healing

Taking inspiration from Asia once more, next on our list is Reiki Healing. Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. But how does it differ to Acupuncture? Reiki is based on the principle of ‘laying on hands’ to activate healing and restore physical and emotional wellbeing. During Reiki, a therapist can channel energy into a patient by means of touch, so it is once again a natural healing process. Reiki is a very spiritual type of healing, but there is no religious belief associated with its practice. Reiki has become very popular recently with therapists practicing across the UK. Need to find the balance? Then find Reiki Healing practitioners near you.

Reiki Healing in Practice
Channel your energy with Reiki

Hypnotherapy

What do you think of when you think of Hypnotherapy? Do you see hypnotherapy as something that is associated with comedy? Do you see hypnotherapy as a way to end an addiction? What about stress relief?

Hypnotherapy is more frequently being used for stress and anxiety treatment. So if life is becoming too exhausting, maybe now is the time to search for a hypnotherapist who can help you through it. Like many alternative treatments, hypnosis can help you relieve and manage your stress levels, but it also aims to eliminate or reduce the problems causing the stress internally. Oftentimes, for example, there are things that have happened in the past that we have not dealt with. Hypnotherapists claim that they can help you change the way your mind tells your body to deal with certain situations – ultimately helping you to stay relaxed and in control.

Hypnosis treatment in practice
Take control of your mind…

Massage Therapy

If Reiki, Acupuncture or Hypnotherapy are not for you, then why not choose to go down the Massage Therapy route instead? Massage has been practiced for thousands of years. Today, you can choose from among 80 massage therapy styles with a wide variety of pressures, techniques and movements e.g. Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports and Hot Stone Massage. Similarly to the other therapies, massage can provide stress relief as well as help with certain medical conditions. Before you find your Massage Therapist and get booked in, you might want to ask yourself why exactly you want the massage. Do you simply want some ‘me time’, some relaxation or do you need relief from a health condition? Be mindful of this to make sure you’re getting the best massage for your needs.

Therapist doing massage
We all need some ‘me time’…

Have you tried any of the above, or do you have a favourite alternative treatment? Let us know!

For other top tips and advice from Bark.com, why not check out our other blogs?