We get it, starting University can be ‘information overload’. 

It begins before you even get to campus, with sorting accommodation, student finance, and figuring out your course timetable and where you need to be and when! 

Once you arrive, the whirlwind continues with a frenzy of meeting a whole lot of new people, navigating your way around campus and a new city, and figuring out all the things you want to get out of your first few weeks of university life. It is a lot but take a deep breath and know that you will get through it, and you are not alone if you’re feeling a little (or a lot) overwhelmed. 

Our top tips for how to deal with ‘information overload’ and feeling overwhelmed during your first few weeks of university… 

1. Try to recognise the symptoms and make changes to avoid it getting worse.

If you're struggling to stay focussed and absorb new information, getting confused, fatigued and perhaps even irritable and frustrated, this is likely to be because you are experiencing burnout from information overload. You may also be experiencing physical symptoms such as headaches and feeling generally under the weather. If you are experiencing these symptoms, it is time to shift your priority, take a step back, and reevaluate how much you are taking on. 

2. Brainstorm solutions. 

If you're feeling overwhelmed and find yourself needing to make some adjustments to avoid total burnout, try to brainstorm some potential solutions to the issue. For example, if you find yourself in a position where you have a lot of information to absorb or perhaps a lot of places to be and events you want to attend, start by making a priority list to work out what is most important to understand and what is most valuable to you. 

Remember, your priority list doesn’t need to be the same as those in your house. You might want to attend an event that no one else in your house does, and that is totally ok! You don’t have to attend everything together, and going alone to some things will give you the opportunity to meet and get to know other students outside of your accommodation and make new connections with likeminded people. 

3. Understand that you don’t have to say yes to everything. 

Choose carefully how you expend your energy. There will be other opportunities to go out for a coffee with your new housemates, other days to experience a night out in Plymouth, and a lot of information that you will hear about in person will also be available online. You don’t have to cram everything into those first few weeks and making sure you are doing what you want to do, and not what those around you want you to do, is really important. 

4. Give yourself a break.

Yes, there's a lot of information to get through, yes, there's a lot of activities, events, and social things happening, but if you try to do absolutely everything and don’t allow yourself time to recharge, you won’t be able to actually enjoy the things you are most looking forward to. Plan your days in a way that allows you to take time to have a break, stay hydrated, and fuel your body by taking a proper lunch. This will help your brain work better than if you just keep pushing on and bounce from one activity to the next when you are feeling burnt out. 

5. Know that you don’t have to retain it all right now.

Unless you have superpowers, you're not going to be able to retain absolutely every bit of information thrown your way during your first few weeks of university. Remember, most information will also be available in booklets, on websites, or on social media, and if you can’t find the information you need: ask! 

As your Students’ Union, we're here to help you and can signpost you to any information that you might have missed or need help better understanding. We have an SU Advice team who are dedicated to supporting students on a range of issues, including finance, academic, wellbeing, and more. Find out more about how our SU Advice team can support you and how to get in touch here. 

6. Know that you will get through this part and don’t be hard on yourself!

We hope that all this new information about everything you could get involved with at university is exciting, and we hope you discover opportunities, activities, and events that you want to get involved with. But remember, there is no right or wrong way to enjoy your first few weeks of university. Above everything, it's so important you prioritise your mental wellbeing by managing all the new information as best you can to avoid overloading your brain and making the start of this new exciting chapter much less enjoyable.

Try to approach this new chapter with a mindset of curiosity and learning rather than as a memory champion. Managing a lot of information is hard at the best of times, but when you are also dealing with a big life change at the same time, it is even more difficult. Take it one step at a time, stay mindful of how you are feeling, and know that support is here for you if you need it. 

7. Remember, you don't have to sign up to everything right now!

This week, we have hosted our SU Sports & Fitness Fair and our Societies Fair in the Rolle Marquee. Some students may have chosen to sign up to student groups already, however, if you were unable to attend or simply need some more time to decide which groups you would like to join, that is totally fine! You don't need to sign up to anything right now; you can become a member of a student group at any point during the academic year. Take your time to choose what you want to do, and don't feel pressured into making that decision before you are ready. You can browse all sports clubs and societies here. 

You got this!