Resi-Life

If you are feeling lonely, try some of these ideas:

Physical activity is essential, especially when you are a student!

The experts suggest 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a day to keep that heart and brain happy!

Here you have 7 easy exercises you can do in your room:

1. High knees

Standing, raise one knee to 90 degrees, as that knee goes down raise the other knee. Once you have the hang of it, increase your speed. Make sure you’re using those arms! You can do this in reps (10–15) and sets (3) or you can do it for time (2–5 minutes). Make sure you break a sweat and you get your heart rate up! To increase the intensity, increase your speed!

2. Standing mountain climbers

This is similar to high knees expect you’re going to work your arms at the same time. Doing mountain climbers standing up really helps if you’re in a limited space. As you’re standing, raise one knee and raise the opposite arm in the air. Then switch knees and arms and increase your speed. It’s just like doing high knees while punching the air with your opposite arm. Again, you can do this in reps (15–20) and sets (3) or for a time (2–5 minutes). You can increase intensity by increasing your speed.

3. Jump squats

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward. Sit back into a squat (keep your back straight and make sure you can see your big toe) and then jump up as high as you can and repeat going back into a squat. I’m not going to lie: these are a little rough for me, but the pain means it’s good, right? Even a few of these and you’ll feel your quads working and your heart pounding! You can do reps (5–10) and sets (3).

4. T push-ups

This is just a simple push-up with a twist. Go down into your push-up (keep your back straight) and then as you come all the way up, shift your weight to the right side and lift your left arm and twist by reaching your left arm up and make a ‘T’. Repeat with opposite arm. You can do this with reps (3–5) with sets (3) or time it (1–3 minutes).

5. Leg lifts

Laying on your back with your legs together and your arms down by your side, slowly lift your legs at your hips (really try to keep your legs straight and engage your core) to 90 degrees. Then slowly come back down without your feet touching the floor. You can do this in reps (3–5) with sets (3) or time it (1–3 minutes). Really make sure you’re engaging your core!

6. Plank

This is a great exercise! Who doesn’t like plank? Get on your hands and knees with your forearms out in front of you, shoulder-width apart. Extend your legs so you’re balanced on your toes. The key to this is to really engage your core and make sure your back is straight. If you’re having trouble, try putting a bottle of water on your back so that if you slump or hump, the water bottle will fall. You can do this for as long as you like, but we recommend 30 seconds to 1 minute.

7. Bird dog

Get on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. You’re then going to lift your right arm and your left leg at the same time, and then switch arms and legs. You can do this for a time (1–3 minutes) or reps (5–10) and sets (3).

Bonus: Corpse (savasana)

Lie on your back with your legs extended in front of you and have your arms palms up at your side. Close your eyes and take some deep breaths. Today you exercised. Good job! Take this time to be proud of yourself and relax your heart rate.

This one’s simple: just line up your favourite flicks, make some salty popcorn, and get watching. We love choosing a theme to get everyone excited: think fashion films (Clueless and The Devil Wears Prada) or cheesy action movies (Ace Ventura and Face/Off).

Turn back the clock to your primary school days and get the arts and crafts kit out of the cupboard. Here's a list of cool GROWN-UP TUTORIALs so you are not throwing yourself into your childhood days too much: https://craftsbyamanda.com/category/craft-tutorials/adult-crafts/

There are so many brilliant series around. Go for one of the latest, like House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black, or keep it old school with classics like Six Feet Under or The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. There are tons of streaming services available if you're not into Netflix, such as AMAZON PRIME.

Cooking for yourself is incredibly rewarding. They say a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Pick out some simple recipes online if you are not a culinary expert and have fun!

Turn your kitchen into the set of your favourite cooking programme. Not only will this add a bit of a spin on the dinner party concept, it also encourages you to get creative and try out new ideas. Even if most of the food ends up being inedible, the whole experience will fill up an evening! Why not create a video and post it on our social media? You will be rewarded!

This one’s for the girls. Take some tips from Instagram's hottest nail artists and indulge in some nail art. There's no need to go to an upscale salon if you follow the simple tutorials. All you need is your favourite music and some cool colours.

Line up some Yoga videos and lay out some mats or towels. There are tons of tutorials to choose, including excellent ones for beginners (or the less-flexible among us).

Lay your prettiest blankets over your room floor and set out sandwiches and other cold snacks. Summery treats like strawberries and fresh juice will add to the atmosphere. String fairy lights around the room for an ethereal mood.

Whether you’re playing someone in your favourite game, or simply connecting in forums with like-minded people, chatting online is a great way to battle loneliness. You can take the leap from the comfort of your own computer while working on the skills that will help you feel less lonely.

The ReachOut Forums are a supportive, safe and anonymous space where people care about what’s happening for you, because they’ve been there, too. Check them out here: https://au.reachout.com/forums

Get some support

If you’ve tried a couple of these steps and are still feeling lonely, don’t be afraid to seek professional help.

If you need it, your GP can set you up with a mental health plan that will help you to access counselling or visit a psychologist. It’s okay to get the support you need.

Don’t forget: everyone has times when they feel lonely. Taking even just a few of the steps above can help reduce your isolation and should help you start to feel better.

ADELAIDE:

• The University of Adelaide - Student Life Counselling Support
  Phone: +61 8 8313 5663
  Email: counselling.centre@adelaide.edu.au
• UniSA Students Support Services
  Phone: 1300 301 703
  Online Bookings: https://i.unisa.edu.au/students/student-support-services/online-bookings/
  Out-of-Hours Crisis Line: 1300 107 441 or text 0488 884 163
• Lifeline (24-hour counselling): 13 11 14
• Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
• Mental Health Service: 13 14 65
• Headspace Adelaide: 1800 063 267
• Beyond Blue: (03) 9810 6100

MELBOURNE:

• RMIT University Counselling
  Phone: +61 3 9925 5000
  Online Bookings: https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/support-and-facilities/student-support/counselling/book-an-appointment
  Out-of-Hours Crisis Line: 1300 305 737
• University of Melbourne Counselling and Psychological Services
  Phone: +61 3 8344 6927
  Email: caps-reception@unimelb.edu.au
  Out-of-Hours Crisis Line: 1300 219 459 or text 0480 079 188
• Lifeline (24-hour counselling): 13 11 14
• Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
• Mental Health Service: 13 14 65
• Beyond Blue: (03) 9810 6100