Hi there, fellow students! How are you doing? How is your final exam preparation going?
January is indeed not the easiest month for the University of Tartu students. The end of the autumn semester brings along a lot of studies, tons of energisers, and almost no empty spots in the Delta Center and UT library. Wait! Don’t rush to get disappointed! If you are feeling anxious about your exams and want to pass them without any damage to your mental health, then this blog is for you!
I have always asked myself how I can be both productive and calm at the same time during my exam period and luckily for all of us, I have found the answers. But before moving to the main question of today’s blog, let me tell you about one place at the University of Tartu that you have probably heard of – The University of Tartu Counselling Center. It is located in the University of Tartu Library (by the address W. Struve 1), on the third floor in rooms 444-453, 454. The UT Counselling Center is open from Monday to Friday 9-12 and 13-16 and provides both career and psychological counselling. Career counselling offers students help with making decisions regarding their education, work, and career, whilst psychological counselling deals with the issues arising within students’ study periods or in their personal lives. As you may have guessed, today I will be exploring psychological counselling and its work during such stressful times as the final weeks of the autumn semester. I wouldn’t be able to answer the questions arising from this topic alone and I was lucky enough to get help from Siim Andres – the mental health advancement coordinator at the University of Tartu Counselling Center. He gladly gave the answers to my questions in the short interview which you may find below:
When/How should a student recognise the need for support, and what types of problems are appropriate to bring to psychological counselling?
“Great question! We all get anxious, depressed, or unfocused sometimes but if that condition persists longer or with an intensity larger than considered normal (in your own personal context) then it might be time to seek support. Another way might be to do a check-up on yourself using a simple emotional well-being questionnaire. I would say that unless a problem is clearly physical in nature then it is appropriate to bring to psychological counselling.
Appropriate reasons also include:
• motivation and time management,
• exam or presentation anxiety,
• excessive worrying or stress,
• adapting to new situations,
• communication and relationships,
• assertiveness,
• self-esteem,
• dealing with significant loss or trauma”
What is the approximate number/percentage of students typically seek support from the University of Tartu Counselling Center in general and during the exam period?
“I cannot give you an approximate number because we have no way of seeing all the students who seek help but do not get it. The Counselling Center is fully booked most of the time. If available appointments appear then they get picked up in a matter of hours. The general trend we see in the mental health space is that the number of people who seek help increases meaningfully during the winter months and decreases during the summer months. Since the exam period is a stressful winter month, I would expect that the need also increases then.”
What are the most common challenges or problems that students approach the Counselling Center with during exam season?
“As previously discussed, mood disorders (anxiety, depression, phobias) are common. Other reasons may be relational: difficulties with friends, fellow academics, co-workers, or family. Low self-esteem, academic achievement, and impostor syndrome are frequent themes too. Otherwise, students quite often also need help figuring out financial support or how to arrange their studies from our academic advisors.”
Can you share some effective tips or strategies to help students manage stress and anxiety during exams?
“It may shock your readers to find out that a healthy mind resides in a healthy body! I joke of course. It’s common knowledge. But, did you know that there is a massive international study that supports the idea that we should be proactive about stress management (make smart decisions before you get into a stressful situation). Adequate sleep, exercise, and a healthy diet are fundamental, but also organise your time, know yourself, your circumstances, and adjust accordingly. If we take care of the basics, then we solve a lot of our problems in advance. We should also avoid doing things such as: drinking alcohol, smoking or experimenting with various drugs. Because on average our brains mature until we are 25, which means we might not want to stunt its development. If stress does hit you during the exam period, which is quite normal, then you might want to consider that it is a good thing. Stress is an adaptive response to challenges in life. Instead of letting it overwhelm us, we might want to reframe it as fuel that helps us accomplish our tasks. No stress-reduction technique is perfect, and you should analyse your situation for the exact nature of your problem, but if I was a student experiencing significant stress right now then I would go for a run but please adjust to your level of fitness. Even walking helps. Alternatively, it might be a good idea to keep a list of strategies for dealing with stress or to consult with trusted people on what they might do in your situation.
Sometimes we just need to be reminded of something we already know.”
How many psychologists or specialists are available at the Counselling Center to provide support to students during peak exam times?
– 8 psychologists
– 2 academic advisors
– 2 career counselors
– 2 counselors for students with special needs
Are there any specific workshops or programmes organised by the UT Counselling Center aimed at addressing common issues faced by students?
There are quite a few. We are currently in the process of determining the workshops for the coming semester.
Check out our website or follow our social media for more up to date information. It’s both in Estonian and English.
https://www.instagram.com/utnoustamiskeskus/
https://www.facebook.com/utcounselling
https://ut.ee/en/counselling-centre 7
Could you please share with us any success stories of the students who have received support from UT Counselling Center?
“There are certainly many, but I’ll refer to a few of my own. Continuing the work of my predecessor (Teili Toms) we’ve been creating opportunities for students to come together and simply talk. The feedback from some participants is that just the ability to talk to fellow students has eliminated a need for professional help! So go find a reasonable friendly person in your life and talk with them! Ask them “Hey, do you have a moment to listen to me vent about my life?” You might also specify if you want someone to just listen or offer help too. Good luck! See Conversation Cycle.”
Could briefly describe the process of how psychological counselling is being held to the students who haven’t heard of it or been to it?
“Psychologists vary in their approach (as do students with their unique needs), but it is not uncommon for the psychologist to ask what the problem might be, chart the surrounding history and specifics of the problem, and then together with the student help the student solve their own problem. The psychologist will create an emotionally safe environment for you to explore your problem and keep your trust by keeping the contents of your discussions confidential.”
In your experience, what has been the most impactful or successful aspect of the Counselling Center’s support for students dealing with stress during the exam season?
“I might be biased due to the nature of my work (prevention). But I think the workshops on studying skills, mental health, career, and the student mentors are the bulwark that helps students have an exam period that is relatively peaceful. It is the proactive management of stress that is most impactful.”
If you could give one piece of advice to the students of the University of Tartu regarding their mental health, what would it be?
“Surround yourself with people whose lifestyle improves yours. I hope and believe that the answers and advice that I have provided will assist you in dealing with exam stress. In case you find the need for professional help feel free to book an appointment in the UT Counselling Center by following this link.
To book an appointment in Viljandi, Pärnu or Narva please write to kertu.utt@ut.ee, anne.tullus@ut.ee and anu.leuska@ut.ee, respectively.
Don’t forget that mental health is as important as physical health! Take care and good luck with your exams!”
All images courtesy of the University of Tartu
