Laurea supports students’ mental wellbeing

At Laurea, student wellbeing focuses on supporting students in their studies, learning, and personal development. Wellbeing is approached holistically, providing students with support and tools to maintain their mental health and remove obstacles. Today marks World Mental Health Day, with the theme of strengthening mental health in everyday life.

Although psychological stress among higher education students has decreased in recent years, the need for support remains, as mental health challenges are still significant. This is evident in the latest Health and Wellbeing Survey of Higher Education Students. Laurea offers a wide range of services to support students, with the wellbeing team providing free, low-threshold support services. The team includes student welfare officers, study psychologists, career services, school chaplains, and special education teachers.

Through partners, students have access to healthcare services provided by YTHS. The student union Laureamko supports student wellbeing through sports and club activities and collaborates with Laurea in student tutoring and harassment-related support services.

The wellbeing team helps students increase self-awareness

Experts from Laurea’s wellbeing team are available to support students and engage in conversations about various life situations.

According to school chaplain Panu Mäkelä, younger students often worry about whether they can manage their studies and whether their study skills are sufficient. More experienced students wonder how to balance studies, family life, and work.
- The conversations I have often revolve around meaningfulness. We frequently touch on questions of humanity, as students reflect on the meaning of their life and career. They ask themselves: Am I in the right place? Am I studying the right field? What makes life meaningful? Mäkelä explains.

Study psychologist Manne Pyykkö has observed that students’ endurance is challenged by a lack of time.
- Unfortunately, more and more students neglect enjoyable activities that bring new energy to everyday life. This kind of energy needs to be constantly available to recover and avoid burnout, Pyykkö emphasizes.

As a study psychologist, he is concerned about changes in the environment and culture, which have had a dramatic impact on young people’s personalities.
- Recent research shows that young people are less committed, neuroticism has increased, and susceptibility to negative emotions is rising. At the same time, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and extraversion have decreased. These changes make individuals more vulnerable to confrontations, says Pyykkö.

He encourages students to get to know a wide range of peers.
- Join fun activities. It’s enjoyable, and knowing different people can help with things like finding a job, suggests Pyykkö.

Sustainable career planning and everyday wellbeing in studies

Career planning begins with increasing self-awareness to find a meaningful path in working life.

- We start by exploring what is important to the student and how a career affects that. This is the key to sustainable career planning, says career services expert Esa Hukkanen.

- Job searching affects everyday endurance. Students feel frustrated when their applications receive no response. I encourage focusing on aspects they can influence when seeking meaningful work, such as selecting suitable positions and improving the quality of applications and CVs, Hukkanen advises.

Student wellbeing expert Jaana Akiola has noticed that different phases of the academic year bring different stressors.
- New students are overwhelmed by the large amount of new information when studies begin. I try to help them understand that the confusion eases after about three months, once they’ve adapted to the new environment, says Akiola.
As autumn progresses, students settle into their studies, and the focus shifts to hard work.

- It’s like the calm before the storm, as students push through the semester and deadlines overlap. Stress can be eased by doing an intensive study period or taking summer courses, Akiola suggests.

Mental health among students: local weather variations

How do members of Laurea’s well-being team describe students’ mental health using weather as a metaphor?

Esa Hukkanen points out that weather cannot be changed, but one can prepare for it.
- Approaching a career is like preparing for different weather conditions. It’s about practicing self-awareness, which helps in seeking alternatives even when facing disappointments. It’s important to move forward from negative experiences and not rely on a single option, Hukkanen advises.

Panu Mäkelä describes the weather as partly cloudy with occasional sunshine.
- There are significant local variations. This means most students are doing well, but some face various difficulties, Mäkelä says.

Manne Pyykkö reflects that students’ experiences have diverged since the pandemic, with some faring better than others.
- That time divided people and left its mark. The weather is therefore variable. Clouds come and go, just like emotional states, says Pyykkö.

Laurea has created a comprehensive Selfcare for Wellbeing package for students, available on the student intranet.

Selfcare for Wellbeing package