If you’re reading this, you’re probably feeling overwhelmed by the amount of things you have to get done.
Reality is far from what you imagined life as an international student would look like.
“Focusing on studies, getting a part time job, keeping up with networking events, paying rent, it’s a never ending struggle”, you say.
You’re not alone in this journey, at the end of this article, we hope to provide you with actionable steps to tackle your overwhelm.
The equation of stress can be summarised in a very simple mathematical equation.
Elementary school understanding of mathematics then says that if you want to minimize the outcome of this equation - in this case, minimize stress - you need to minimize the challenges and increase our abilities, resources, and skill set to handle the challenges you face in life. The more challenges you face in life, the more overwhelmed you feel, which could eventually lead to burnout. Burnout sucks, because at this point nothing excites you anymore, you would rather sleep in. I know this is relatable to you, but how can we solve it?
Alt Text: An illustration of a woman in a suit, with two clouds on top of either of her hands, each showcasing a negative and positive sign respectively. It could be evidence of the benefits of writing a list of energy boosters and energy drainers in your life.
The first step to prevent ourselves from burning out is understanding the things, people, places, and situations that cause challenges in your life on a daily basis.
To give a good starting point it could be any of the following
At this point, we would want to write down anything and everything that could potentially cause stress in our lives.
Once we’ve identified the stressors we will begin with the process of limiting them in our lives.
For example, the stress caused by the long commute to work could be limited by leaving home a bit earlier, finding an enjoyable hobby like reading, or finding a workspace nearer to your home.
If you have a friend that constantly annoys you, practice boundaries, express that the words they use upset you. If they are empathetic, they will stop, and you have reduced one burden off of your life, but if they keep hurting you, it’s time you re-evaluate your relationship with them.
Don’t be a people pleaser. Say yes to only things that are absolutely essential, we humans are designed to spend time in isolation, to truly connect to ourselves.
If you’re constantly flooded with thoughts of overwhelm, stress and worry, know that it is completely human. Here are a few proven ways to lessen that burden.
1. MeditationAlt Text: A group of diverse students in class, participating in the act of meditation. Everyone has their eyes closed, potentially to reduce any distractions from the outside surroundings.
Take a few minutes every morning to sit with your thoughts, without fighting them, accept your thoughts for what they are, just thoughts. Do not attempt to fight over things you have no control over.
The fundamentals of this method is vastly practiced in the age-old act of meditation, which is why I would recommend downloading a guided meditation app like headspace, until you are confident you are able to practice this yourself.
A study from the University of Waterloo found that just 10 minutes of daily mindful meditation can help prevent mind wandering, which is particularly effective for people with anxiety
2. Journaling
Alt Text: A woman, next to a window, with a notebook and a pen, seems to be writing her thoughts on a book. She seems content.
Another helpful practice we strongly recommend for international students is journaling.
Sometimes it helps to write our thoughts and feelings through writing.
We’ve found that once we write things down, we do not give our thoughts as much power over the way we feel.
This can help improve self awareness and reduce feelings of overwhelm.
It’s easily accessible, and doesn’t cost you anything (almost).
Alt Text: A lady in a cardigan, at the beach, hugging herself, which probably indicates that she is very content with life.
Remember that if you don't prioritize your life, someone else will.
As an international student, you already have a lot of commitments.
Don’t try to overwhelm yourself with tasks that will add a burden to your life.
Make space for things that truly matter in your life, like taking care of your mind, body, finances, and meaningful relationships. If any interaction doesn’t provide the highest contribution to any of the above areas in life, it’s probably not worth your time.
The above steps; completing a life audit, lessening your stressors in life, learning how to cope, and prioritizing yourself, will truly enable you to live a life of less worry. We do not have control over, however, what events happen outside of our control.
Mo Gawdat, the author of the book “Unstressable”, states that our biggest downfall in our path to happiness is our high expectations of the events taking place in our lives. It’s not to say that we shouldn’t try our best, but the moment we have high expectations of ourselves, it rips the joy out of the situation.
Alt Text: Happiness equation by Mo Gawdat states that we have optimized for happiness in our lives by reducing our expectations of what an event should turn out in our lives.
Really think about this for a second.
You really thought you did well in the exam, and that you were going to ace it, but when the results come out, it’s a B+, and you’re disappointed in yourself.
But think of another time, where you felt the exam was difficult, and you would be happy if you even passed, and then you get a B, and you’re overjoyed. I know life is not simple, but do you get the point I’m trying to reach over here?
Similarly you could’ve had high expectations from your move to Canada, and things may not seem as smooth as you expected right now. Just know that it’s all a gradual process. You get started in this journey, you learn, experience things, and grow.
This is the way my friend, you’ve got this!