Getting through challenges

You might have social and emotional support from family, friends, or professional support of counsellors, mentors etc.
Who are the key people you turn to?
How does this help you?

Maybe you rely on yourself and have developed some of your own strategies.
What things do you do?
How does this help you?

Sometimes activities or events are strategies to deal with challenges.
What kinds of heathy or positive activities do you engage in during tough times?
How does this help you?

Action
Having a strong social network – however big or small – is important, but especially during rough times, even if you are self-reliant. Activities can also be helpful.
Sometimes, like a growing washing pile, things can seem huge, but having different strategies in place can be like sorting through the pile and putting things away…
What’s in your ‘washing pile’ and what steps can be taken to reduce the pile?

Here’s what others have said:

  • I always plan in down time and I walk my dog on the beach every day and all that kind of stuff to keep myself sane (Hannah)

    Hannah is 41-50 from an outer regional area, in 2nd year nursing, fulltime on campus. She is first in family, is a carer for family member(s) and works part time.

  • 100% my mum, she answers on the first ring and always reminds me why I moved to begin with. (Dan)

    Dan is from a remote area and is in 2nd year of Disability & Development degree. Dan is first in family, works part-time and moved far away from family to study

  • My husband, my course support through the [regional] Universities Centre, and the lecturers I have each unit. They each help and support in their own ways. (Helen)

    Helen is 41-50 and lives in a very remote area. She is in 4th year of Business by distance, comes from a working class background and is in full time employment

  • I think remembering why you started is important.  For me, the reason I started and you know, was because I was inquisitive and I try to keep that approach to my study even when it gets hard is trying to be just curious (Keiran)

    Keiran is 20 from an outer regional area. He went straight from school into Engineering, in 4th year studying fulltime on campus. He had to move interstate for study.

  • To prove to myself that I can do this, even though people have told me that I can’t. (Zara)

    Zara is 31-40 from an outer regional area and is in her 2nd year of Nursing, studying part-time by distance/block mode. She is a mum, works fulltime, is first-in-family, mature-age, and from a working class background

  • My Number 1 Motivation would be wanting to be able to have a good earning career that will allow me to comfortably take care of my mum. As well as my long-term partner and his family; they’re always there to help and support me. (Grace)

    Grace is a 21-25 year old Education student from an outer regional area, and is first in her family to go to uni. She moved 400kms from her family and is now in her final year.

  • My family’s a huge one. We had some family things happen at the end of last semester and I think the only reason I got those last assignments in and kept getting through it was having my family.  (Tamsin)

    Tamsin is 21 from an outer regional area. She had a 3 year gap, now in 1st year Education, fulltime in blended mode. She is from working class background, and she has part-time work

  • My family are my biggest supporters, and being able to still live with them is a huge help when juggling uni, work and sport. No matter how stressed or overwhelmed I feel, a game of netball or basketball always seems to fix it. I have a great network off friends and having social events on the weekends makes me work hard during the weeks to earn a good break. (Evelyn)

    Evelyn is 21-25 from an outer regional area in 1st year Education, fulltime in blended mode. She also works fulltime and is involved in extra-curricular activities.

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