I’m sure many of you reading this have been a student at some point in your life so you may or may not relate to this. Currently, I’m studying Medicine and I must admit that it can sometimes become very draining since it requires so much time and effort. I end up becoming so busy and say no to outings with friends or family gatherings, especially when exams are near.

What many of us do not realise is that isolation can happen so easily at times like this but it does more harm than good. This is why I try my hardest to prevent myself from falling into this trap. Since I have quite a large extended family, I literally take any chance I have to go to my nan’s house and relax.

Just a few days ago, my aunt told me how everyone expected me to just disappear into the books once I started university but she’s happy that I’m doing quite the opposite. Hearing my aunt say this actually made me smile because deep down I thought I would end up disappearing too and have no social life. My biggest lesson and tip to myself is to avoid spending my breaks with just me and my phone. Instead, I try replace some of these breaks with amazing people who help me stay sane.

All the catch ups with my family and friends where I’d laugh to tears is what keeps me in a positive and healthy state. No matter how huge of a workload I think I have, it will never be too big to stop me from having a break and spending time with those who make me smile and happy. It’s hard to be productive if you’ve exhausted yourself so when things get tough, take a break, spend time around positive people and ALWAYS prioritise looking after yourself!! ?✨