By Nur Ain Nordin, Pre-University Studies (MPU), INTI International College Subang
The more honest you are, the more open, the less fear you will have because there’s no anxiety about being exposed or revealed to others
Dalai Lama
Having to pursue college during pandemic to endemic, has left a lot of college students with negative mental health symptoms. Dealing with anxiety in college can be extremely challenging for students who miss home, their high school routine, or who are struggling to manage all the new responsibilities and new ways of learning.
On 29 June, MPU1223 Study Skills for Certificate Level lecturers Mrs. Nur Ain Nordin & Mr. Kamal Ahmad Saidin organized a guest lecture.
The topic is related with their lesson Stress Management in Learning. Considering all of the students are new and 1st semester students, big transitioning from secondary to tertiary education this guest lecture is relevant and relatable with this transition.
Mr Kenny Lim, with over 22 years of experience with Befrienders KL, took time to share his insights and advice with students. Mr. Lim has a wealth of knowledge under his belt. Befrienders have been doing frontline work this pandemic, taking an ever-increasing number of calls seeking emotional support and advice.
You have the permission to be awful
The best advice of coping with stress that he has shared is – to give yourself permission to suck.
Most students found very hard to accept failures and challenges. Living with a lot of stress can ruin any goal you might have. This tip is a good reason to get much better at recognizing and understanding the stress.
Reach Out for Help
He advises that other ways of expressing feelings include writing a journal or expressing them through art. It is important to reach out for help when you are feeling stress if we need it. Otherwise you can call helplines such as the Befrienders KL, which offers emotional support 24 hours.
It was an immense pleasure to introduce to students such a talented, compassionate professional. We really appreciate that Kenny Lim, Executive Director of Befrienders KL, had shared his experiences and practices to handle stress and anxiety relief. We really hope his sharing and experiences can mold the students in their right way on this academic journey.
If you need to talk to someone, reach to Befrienders KL at 03-76272929, 24/7.