Bouncing back from an unexpected set back

Uncertainty. Setbacks. Losses. Crisis. Each of these makes life just that little more challenging (and underneath it all, interesting).

University is a time of many changes and new experiences. Learning how to deal with unexpected setbacks is an essential part of your university (and life) experience. You may have been a straight-A student in high school, but now you are struggling to navigate a university lifestyle.

You may have had a falling out with a long-time friend because they have less time to dedicate to the friendship while studying. You may have lost your part-time job or income and then had your car break down and had to spend a large sum repairing it.

Balancing university studies with your personal life, work demands, and finances can seem as if you are walking the highest of tightropes above the deepest of canyons. And when a significant event, such as the loss of a part-time job or an income source, a sick family member, failing a course hits you from left field, the abyss comes rushing towards you.

According to the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, drug and alcohol use, financial stress, work/study balance, living away from family and performance pressures are some of the risk factors which may cause psychological distress among university students.

Preparation, resilience and foresight are also vital to help us reduce the likelihood or the impact of setbacks or stresses.

Some simple strategies will help you ride the crests and plunging waves during your years of studies. Building on these strategies will help you manage life’s unexpected setbacks and leverage growth and success.

Financial setbacks

Worrying about your financial wellbeing can create a lot of angst and stress that won’t help you stay focused on your studies. You can start to ease this pressure by creating a buffer for emergencies with a dedicated savings account. Weekly deposits into your savings also help you develop healthy habits to help you prioritise, focus and achieve your goals.

Use semester breaks to find paid part- or full-time work. Remember, most roles aren’t advertised, so be proactive about finding a job that serves the dual purpose of earning an income and offering experience that will help you land your first teaching job once you graduate.

If you are facing a significant financial setback, approach the student services division at your university to see what budgeting and financial support they can offer. Scholarships, support packages and opportunities may make the difference in helping you make it through difficult circumstances.

Study setbacks

On paper your study choices may seem logical and achievable; however, when put into practice it may not be that manageable after all.

Build in a 20 per cent contingency into your study schedule. There are only 24 hours in a day, and when balancing home life, your passions and activities, employment demands, lectures and study that 24 hours falls well short of the mark.

Try to combine subjects which are closely aligned so they each add value to the other one and can save you a bit of study time. Or, choose subjects that have different time demands so you can balance the requirements.

Study groups can be particularly helpful not only in learning new perspectives and in exam preparation, but also in keeping you motivated and accountable. They can also be an excellent way to help you make new friends and get to know the other students in your course.

Rent or purchase your textbooks as early as possible to start the semester fully prepared and buy books secondhand if possible. Spend time reading and preparing while you aren’t under the stress of a semester workload to help give you a head start.

Friendships setbacks

As you immerse yourself into university life, you might find some school friends fade into the past. Likewise, from semester to semester your circle of cohorts will also change. This is to be expected as your goals, wants and circumstances change and as you and your friends find new passions and priorities.

Look on and off campus to build your support network. The most resilient of friendships may be formed with people who have common interests or values, such as with sporting groups and clubs, people in your workplace, and in the communities where you socialise.

Develop interests both in and beyond your campus - there is life beyond university! Make time to volunteer with events or causes that are important to you and consider working with people of different backgrounds and ages. A broad range of friendship groups will help you find mentors, allies and support networks you can call on when you need a helping hand.

If you feel like it’s all becoming too much, don’t be afraid to revisit your study, work and personal commitments so you can create a schedule that works better for you. Everyone’s situation is different, so what works for your friends or classmates, may not be your best option. You might find you have to revise your plans a number of times before you find the right combination.

Teachers Mutual Bank is the bank built by teachers, for teachers. We’re dedicated to investing in the education community by providing scholarships to current and future teachers and sponsoring events and conferences.

We know that studying to become a teacher is an exciting and sometimes challenging time and our Teacher in Training campaign is designed to help you make the most of your first year at uni.