Balancing studies with personal responsibilities and self-care can be challenging.  As an international student, the independence and new added responsibilities can feel overwhelming. However, this doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to take advantage of university life. Sometimes we neglect sleep for the sake of studying, get stuck in tedious chores and can’t get any work done or have some days of paralyzing homesickness and solitude. The key to cope with all these challenges is to find time to take care of ourselves without neglecting our studies, whether in the form of getting involved in activities around campus, doing self-care exercises or reconnecting with people or things that remind you of home.

Below are some of my experiences as I try to take in all that university life has to offer!

Getting involved

Getting involved is the key to success individually, professionally and academically. In Maynooth University, there is always a variety of activities happening each month, and sometimes this can leave you feeling overloaded! Don’t feel like you miss out to these activities, rather pick a few that you really like and work with your timetable and take some time to rest from lectures and studies. These past months, I’ve gone to some de-stressing activities like DIY birdhouse painting with the Maynooth Student’s Union (MSU), speedfriending with arts and crafts, cake decorating for Saint Valentine’s Day and tea and coffee morning events. These are great to get to know other people while doing something enjoyable and disconnect from the world.

Sometimes, it can feel like we don’t have any time to focus on something that isn’t our studies, that’s why it’s a good idea to take advantage of the beginning of semester when we still have a low workload and plenty of energy! It’s also a good idea to organise your time and take some time off in the middle of the semester before study weeks, while we’re still on-campus, and go to short events like the ones I’ve mentioned above. This helps me relax and boost my motivation so that I can continue being productive! I’m also a social person, so going to social events (like speedfriending) where I can meet people with similar interests helps me reconnect with the world at the same time as I disconnect from my academic responsibilities.

There are also many opportunities in campus to help develop personal and professional skills, such as the Summer Programme for Undergraduate Research (SPUR), the Student Experience Awards (MUSE), and volunteering opportunities that help students gain insight into real-world experiences as well as help them connect with like-minded people. 

Self-care activities and Reconnecting

Societies such as Mental Health Society promote student well-being by offering activities like positive journalism or distress walks around our beautiful campus. Our counselling service also offers a series of mental health workshops worth checking out, like yoga, mindfulness and talks about topics such as procrastination and how to overcome it, stress and loneliness. Just remember that as daunting and challenging as studying abroad can seemed, you are not alone and there are plenty of people who can and would like to help! 

Since Dublin is less than an hour from Maynooth, I like taking a day out in Dublin every few weeks and every time I go, I discover something new, about Irish history, culinary experiences and new good places to eat, beautiful landscapes or key spots I’d love coming back to. Going to the museums and drawing one of the paintings is one of my favourite things to do to relax. I’ve also discovered spots where I can buy the original ingredients from my home country to make my favourite traditional dishes, which has helped me cope with homesickness.

Final thoughts

University life can be a busy one, with demanding tasks and busy exam seasons, however when you have found the balance between personal life and academic responsibilities, it can be a very rewarding, insightful and enjoyable experience. Finding the time for everything will be hard at first, but it is possible to do all the things we propose ourselves to do. It’s all about commitment and motivation and understanding that is an ever changing, ever evolving journey.