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It’s no secret that University can feel overwhelming. The pressure to perform, the constant deadlines, the social dynamics, the uncertainty about the future… it stacks up over time.
It might be a comfort to know that you’re not alone and that you don’t need to ‘power through’ or ‘stay positive’. What you need is resilience. And resilience isn’t about being tough all the time like you might think. It’s about learning to recover, adapt and stay grounded when things get hard. Here are six tips on how to start building it:
1. Accept that stress is part of the deal
Resilience begins with being real about your situation. University is demanding. Pretending that it shouldn’t be stressful or that you’re the only one struggling just adds more pressure. Accept that feeling anxious or burnt out at times doesn’t mean you’re failing; it means you’re human. When you stop judging yourself for struggling, you create space to deal with it more effectively.
2. Break the perfection mindset
Perfection is a trap. That voice in your head that says every assignment has to be flawless or that you should never miss a lecture? It’s not helping. Resilience means giving yourself permission to do your best with the energy you have, not some ideal version of yourself. Growth doesn’t come from being perfect. It comes from showing up and learning from what doesn’t go perfectly.
3. Build routines that support you
It’s tempting to drop everything when things get chaotic, but small routines can give you stability. That doesn’t mean rigid schedules or waking up at 5am. It means creating habits that help you reset. A short walk every day. A set time to close your laptop. A weekly check-in with a friend. These things ground you. They remind you that you have control over at least part of your day.
4. Get better at asking for help
Resilience doesn’t mean doing it all alone. It means knowing when you need backup and being willing to ask for it. Talk to a lecturer if you’re falling behind. Book a session with a Student Wellbeing Advisor. Text a friend and tell them you’re not doing great. The more you normalise reaching out, the easier it becomes to cope.
5. Pay attention to your limits
If you’re always pushing past exhaustion, you’re not building resilience; you’re burning out. Start recognising the signs that you need a break – the constant brain fog, the irritability, the dread before every task. Learn to pause, rest and reset before you crash.
6. Keep perspective
When you’re buried in assignments or panicking about your future, it’s easy to feel like everything is make-or-break. But most of the time, it’s not. One bad grade won’t destroy your future. One awkward conversation won’t define your social life. Step back and zoom out. You’re learning how to handle pressure and that’s a skill that will serve you far beyond uni.
