Young people

A space for people aged 12-25 to discuss life. If you’re over 25, please be mindful that this is a space for younger people to connect.

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romantic_thi3f Eeep! When study is overwhelming! - Tips, ideas and coping strategies
  • replies: 51

Hi! Just thought I’d make a post with some tips for study. I know this is something we can all struggle with. These are all suggestions so feel free to take them or leave them! Hope they help! If you only remember one thing, let it be this: You are i... View more

Hi! Just thought I’d make a post with some tips for study. I know this is something we can all struggle with. These are all suggestions so feel free to take them or leave them! Hope they help! If you only remember one thing, let it be this: You are important. Your grades don’t define you. (support) Studying can feel isolating but know you’re not alone! Reach out – and find or make friends that can support you along the way. If you’re having trouble finding some friends, join some local communities or clubs! They have lots at Uni’s and even stuff like open days are great ways to meet new people and find out what’s happening. Study groups can also be a great way to meet people and stay motivated. Also remind yourself why you’re doing this; inspirational wallpapers or quotes can be super inspiring. Remember the saying about the oxygen mask? If you can’t take care of yourself first studying will be harder. You are important. You know the drill - water, food, exercise, sleep. Try to stay calm. Stuff that might be able to help include mindfulness, breathing exercises, colouring in, going for walks, journaling, listening to music… If you’re struggling – reach out. See a therapist. Talk to your student counsellor. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask for it. Also lots of Universities and TAFE offer disability services – which includes conditions like Depression and Anxiety. (study) Find the right study space for you. Maybe that’s in your room, or a coffee shop, or the library. Some people find that noise helps; other people not so much. If you like particular kinds of noise, you can find ‘coffee shop’ noise or ‘rain sounds’ to help concentrate. Make a plan. It helps to do it often so it becomes a habit. Anytime you get a due date, write it down. Maybe you could use a diary, planner, bullet journal or an app. I find the 30/30 App helpful - study for a bit and then break for a bit. You can also get add-on’s for your computer to block sites like Facebook if you find them too distracting. Find out what study technique works for you. Do you like cue cards? Mind maps? Colour coding? Does highlighting stuff help you remember? Charts, maps, diagrams? Recorded lectures? Goals! These are so important – not just writing down deadlines but rewarding yourself for meeting them. Even making smaller goals like ‘read two pages from a textbook’ can help. Break it down into bite size pieces, and don’t forget to reward yourself after!

Sophie_M NEW TO THIS FORUM? Please read this first
  • replies: 0

The Young People space is a sub-forum within the wider Beyond Blue forum community. 1. Its purpose is to provide members aged 25 and under a space to discuss anxiety, depression and other related life issues. If you are aged over 25, please be mindfu... View more

The Young People space is a sub-forum within the wider Beyond Blue forum community. 1. Its purpose is to provide members aged 25 and under a space to discuss anxiety, depression and other related life issues. If you are aged over 25, please be mindful that this forum is a space for younger people to connect and provide peer support for each other. 2. Content from this sub-forum is displayed on both the beyondblue and youthbeyondblue websites. 3. Please bear in mind that some members find content relating to suicide and/or self-harm distressing or triggering. If you would like to post on these topics, please do so in our Suicidal Thoughts and Self Harm section. Please see also our guidelines for making posts on this topic. Posts made here in the Young People sub-forum containing content relating to suicide and/or self-harm will be moved. 4. These forums are moderated, so your posts may not appear straightaway. Information on how our system works can be found here. Being familiar with our community rules can help ensure that your posts appear online as quickly as possible. 5. This is a peer support community, and to get the best out of being here we recommend that you 'give support to receive support'. More on how that works here.

All discussions

Guest_10081968 I dont feel i have a reason to feel kinda depressed.
  • replies: 1

I feel like i have a good life but im being negative, but for some reason, I'm not sure what, I feel unmotivated I don't really know what I want to do in life, and I'm a bit overweight. I'm only 14 but I'm not sure why I don't even feel like hanging ... View more

I feel like i have a good life but im being negative, but for some reason, I'm not sure what, I feel unmotivated I don't really know what I want to do in life, and I'm a bit overweight. I'm only 14 but I'm not sure why I don't even feel like hanging out with my friends sometimes and just want to be alone. I am too scared to talk to my parents as my dad is a psychologist so I feel like a failure if I talk to him about it. I don't even feel motivated to do my work it feels like I'm just forcing myself to do everything. Lately I've been feeling kind of tired, I feel like if I talk to anyone about it it would just be awkward and I would be Like a burden. Idk if this makes sense its not like I have a shit life, I do have friends and family and pretty good relationship with all.

ceres Struggling to find my people
  • replies: 1

I'm just about to finish my first year of university, and I have met a lot of new people this year. A lot of them are nice, and I do enjoy hanging out with them, but we are just quite different and I want to meet people who are more similar to me, an... View more

I'm just about to finish my first year of university, and I have met a lot of new people this year. A lot of them are nice, and I do enjoy hanging out with them, but we are just quite different and I want to meet people who are more similar to me, and to be frank - who I like more. Is there anyone who has had success forming or joining long-lasting friend groups after the first year of uni? I'm worried that it'll be harder to make different friends going into second year when people already know each other. I also have friends from high school, but my group fell apart in year 12, so while I have my best friend and a couple of other people who I regularly catch up with, I don't have a big group of friends who I can regularly see. I am quite a sociable person (although I do struggle with anxiety which can make talking to new people hard), so this is something I really want. TLDR; I have friends but I want a friendship group. How can I make or join a group of friends in second year uni? I would really appreciate hearing someones experience with this!

Erinnnnn Stress
  • replies: 0

Hiii I’m Erin. I’m an international student who is experiencing a feeling which is that I’m trying so hard to approach the person I want to be but failed very often. It affects my confidence and I’m worrying if I could really take good care of my par... View more

Hiii I’m Erin. I’m an international student who is experiencing a feeling which is that I’m trying so hard to approach the person I want to be but failed very often. It affects my confidence and I’m worrying if I could really take good care of my parents in the future…Kind of sad emotion comes along with the more stress when I heard that my grandma was very sick and maybe I need to go back to my hometown earlier as soon as I finish this semester to see her..

j_x School problems and stuff.
  • replies: 0

Lowkey I'm chatting here because I don't know where else to go at this point. I started high school (private school) this year, it was fine at first but now I hate it. I have mixed feelings of being left out and being included, there are always probl... View more

Lowkey I'm chatting here because I don't know where else to go at this point. I started high school (private school) this year, it was fine at first but now I hate it. I have mixed feelings of being left out and being included, there are always problems or someone judging you for no reason. you might say this is normal for high school, but is it seriously to the point I dread even walking to the bus stop? My best friend turned on me, teachers can be really rude and it's so overwhelming and tiring. I've also had several social media issues to the point that I had to regain the trust of some close people and block off all platforms from my life (which is kind of a good/bad thing ngl) I've even broken down in tears during classes and this beyond blue k10 test thingy says I should reach out for support Music and painting are my escape from all of this, which I try to do more often but sometimes I can't do it at school, I can't even finish a book (and I love books). I want to do homeschooling but I'm afraid of what would happen to my social life, leadership skills and future appliance for unis. I'm thinking of starting counselling which my school offers but I need further advice, I've already tried finding new people to hang out with but it didn't do any benefit. I don't know what I should do and I'm probs going to stay at this school next year. Thanks, J.

Rozie-24 I dont really Know
  • replies: 1

So, I don't really know what to say, people tell me I am selfish and ungrateful, but I work so hard for what i have I work to keep my home life away from me.I need some opinions-(Dot points of my Life)My mum drinks a lot- but i still love her My dad ... View more

So, I don't really know what to say, people tell me I am selfish and ungrateful, but I work so hard for what i have I work to keep my home life away from me.I need some opinions-(Dot points of my Life)My mum drinks a lot- but i still love her My dad always says he is going to leave for the night and never dose and everyone has to pretend nothing has happened after their fights. My 2 brothers and sister are all younger than me and think nothing is happening. Oh and my mum did lose her license for being over the legal amount of acholic but not over mid rangeMy nan who is meant to be nice and loveing speaks down about my mum and that makes me sadI also go to school and hate it because its a waste of my time - I also do a school based apprenticship and I think I am pretty good at what I do. So sorry if this is too long.I just get so sad sometime I then feel its too much to get up and move and i dont know what to do

Guest_08510833 Struggling connecting with people in general
  • replies: 3

Hi My names Jim, I’ve just come to Australia on a WHV. On paper I should be over the moon with they way everything is going but I just can’t seem to connect with people on any level, I feel quite lost to be honest, and feel I can’t talk anyone with r... View more

Hi My names Jim, I’ve just come to Australia on a WHV. On paper I should be over the moon with they way everything is going but I just can’t seem to connect with people on any level, I feel quite lost to be honest, and feel I can’t talk anyone with real any substance.I don’t feel I’ve got anything to say either. I’ve become a bit mute and quiet at time's, only speaking when I’m spoken to, not really having much in the way of a response a lot of the time. It’s getting worse and I’m struggling to stop it spiralling in to a bit of dispare, I know it’s down to my confidence and lack in there of, god knows i’m trying to get a hand on it too, not even sure that this is the correct place to be putting this out. I’m really not sure about anything anymore, constant indecision. There’s probably lots of things I should do but I can’t even get out of the gate with one. I suppose I wouldn’t mine knowing if anyone else feels this way, I’m sure people do. Maybe any tips of how to deal with it a bit better than I amcurrently. Thanks to anyone who does take the time to read this anyway and comment if they’ve got the time.

Guest_45750091 Losing friends right before graduation
  • replies: 1

I’m currently in grade 12, and I’m graduating from high school next week. My friend group has had some issues for a while and I’ve considered moving to a different group multiple times but I’ve always been worried about causing drama and making schoo... View more

I’m currently in grade 12, and I’m graduating from high school next week. My friend group has had some issues for a while and I’ve considered moving to a different group multiple times but I’ve always been worried about causing drama and making school worse for myself. There’s previously been a lot of arguments, and no one is really supportive. They all gossip about each other but continue to pretend to be best friends. As I got closer to graduating, I was happy to wait it out and then begin to distance myself from them after we all graduate. However, a few weeks ago, one of the girls told another girl that I hated her (which I discussed with the girl and assured her this was not the case). But the girl ended up telling everyone that I hated her and I’d been so awful to her. Ultimately I messaged the group chat explaining that I was uncomfortable going to schoolies because of the drama, so I wouldn’t be going. This was completely ignored and in school none of the group would talk to me, even when I tried talking to them. Now I’m on better terms with some of them but I ultimately do not feel comfortable with them at all. I have formal and graduation next week and I really don’t want to go. I’m so embarrassed that this is how I’m finishing school. I also know that for multiple people to have an issue with me I must’ve done something wrong but I really feel like I haven’t. I also have my 18th birthday coming up and I’m so ashamed that I’ll most likely spend it alone. I want to try and become closer with some other people that I’ve spoken to in school, but I honestly don’t know who to trust because I know they’ll probably tell the group that I’m desperate. I know this won’t matter in a year, but right now I’m just so ashamed.

Guest_98126199 TAFE and disability
  • replies: 0

New here and needed some people close to my age to ask lol I have been trying out various TAFE courses and pretty much gave up after trying one unit each time. But apart from that, I have been finding their disability support to be abysmal. Zero comm... View more

New here and needed some people close to my age to ask lol I have been trying out various TAFE courses and pretty much gave up after trying one unit each time. But apart from that, I have been finding their disability support to be abysmal. Zero communication, no help outside of hours (I work a 38-hour week so only free during the night or weekends), and all my agents are constantly going on leave or quitting their jobs and no one tells me. So unprofessional! And my complaints to them only give me generic apologies in response. I am doing the Human Resources Management IV course and I really enjoy the subject but the marking criteria is just way too strict. I want the certificate so I can advance in my career but I can't even complete the first assignment without someone telling me the answers they want specifically. Just seems like all the effort I put in during my precious weekends off is wasted lolIt has now come to a point where I want to drop out again and just resign myself to working low-level jobs like every other person with Autism like me has to do.

Cam.ryn Healing my relationship with my body
  • replies: 8

tw: weight/eatingI've struggled a long time with my body image. I come from a family of overweight people, and so I was always surrounded by discussions of diets and "we need to lose weight" and comments about looking big and gross and ugly. I've pre... View more

tw: weight/eatingI've struggled a long time with my body image. I come from a family of overweight people, and so I was always surrounded by discussions of diets and "we need to lose weight" and comments about looking big and gross and ugly. I've pretty much always been a healthy weight my whole life, so there weren't ever directed at me, but I sure think as a child I definitely internalised them. And then of course social media and the internet love promoting small bodies and yeah its hard being a human being and looking like a normal human being. I've definitely had disordered eating habits and gone through phases of restriction and bingeing. I won't go to crazy into the details but ive been a lot smaller than I am now, and a lot bigger too. No matter what size I am im just never comfortable or happy. I definitely think my eating is linked to emotions in other aspects of my life as well. I eat when I'm bored, when I'm sad, when I'm stressed. I also basically always think about food. When I wake up I'm like "omg what am I going to eat today". I feel guilty about what I eat, I feel out of control sometimes when it comes to eating, and I know I do not have balanced/healthy habits. It just generally not fun, and I think put so much brain power and energy into hating my body and thinking about food, that I could use instead towards my uni or friends, etc. I guess I don't really know what I'm looking for here to be honest... I guess I'm just hoping someone out there has cracked the code on self-acceptance because I want so badly to be happy with my body just the way it is. Those sneaky thoughts just always creep in and tell me I'm too fat.

Taiji Looking for a support/accountability partner
  • replies: 3

Hey so I'm a 22 year old guy living in Sydney whose been working through mental health stuff (depression, anxiety, potential ADHD) for the past year. I've recently wanted to start working on rebuilding my life by working on academic, fitness and gene... View more

Hey so I'm a 22 year old guy living in Sydney whose been working through mental health stuff (depression, anxiety, potential ADHD) for the past year. I've recently wanted to start working on rebuilding my life by working on academic, fitness and general health goals. While I think there's a lot of merit in getting support through online spaces I think in person support will always be the gold standard. So I've been looking for a support/accountability partner who also lives in Sydney where we can support each other with mental health, chatting about life stuff, holding each other accountable, gyming together etc. If anyone is also interested in finding a support partner and lives in Sydney feel free to reach out!