Getting to know your 'wobble' triggers

This time of year for first-year university students can be challenging in terms of feelings of isolation, loneliness and overwhelm in a new degree course.

Drop-out rates from first-year at university reflect this, potentially further fed by other challenges such as financial pressures or the remaining legacy of covid in students’ social and learning experiences.

Some students may be questioning their career choice at this time of year, or others may be struggling now that the ‘honeymoon’ period of starting college has worn off.

In order to support students through this challenging period of their first semester, which has become known as a ‘wobble’, the concept of ‘Wobble Week’ was coined.

In the UK, the initiative has been in place for some time, with many universities running multiple events across the week to try to increase integration and address disengagement or student mental health issues.

An extensive list of activities is offered, with the additional aim of attempting to increase retention rates.

I was invited recently to contribute to an inaugural ‘Wobble Week’ talk for pharmacy students at UCC.

I was struck by how relevant much of the key information I provided to them was with other stages of life.

Whether a secondary school student or a fully-fledged adult, wobbles are part of life and will continue to feature as we navigate it.

Below are some of the takeways from the talk that might be useful to consider in our own personal contexts.

Know your ‘wobble’ trigger

Isolation, overwhelm and lack of direction are some of the key triggers for a wobble in the university context.

The same is true for life.

If things feel too much, whether it’s at home or in work, in terms of relationship strain or financial issues – a ‘wobble’ can potentially occur.

Isolation is becoming more prevalent in society today, despite people being more electronically connected than ever.

And not having a clear focus as to where you wish to be, or how you want to get there, can leave you feeling adrift, and only serves to fuel the overwhelm.

When you feel the ‘wobble’, taking some time to consider what’s the greatest contributor to this is important – whether that’s through self-reflective exercises like journalling, talking it out with a friend, or getting professional support.

Only then will you be in a position to address the root cause.

Managing time, resources and expectations

Our own approach to delivering what’s required from us is crucial to get right.

A wobble occurs when our expectations of ourselves are too high, for example.

Putting strategies in place for a good routine will boost productivity and the subsequent feeling of accomplishment.

We don’t want to tip into burn-out, but rather to find that happy spot of optimal output that has us in a flow state.

Addressing any issues around procrastination or time management will help a lot with this.

The phrase “just swallow the frog” is particularly relevant at this I’m a Celebrity.. time of year when it comes to putting off less desirable tasks.

Also, making time for the important things in life is crucial – family, friends, health. The rest is less important and will find its place if we’re fully recharged and prioritising the important things first.

Wobbles aren’t all bad

It’s good to remember too that wobbles are messengers in their own right.

Feeling off-kilter, out of sync or misaligned is a great way to know that changes need to be made – in life, in work, or in our own self-care.

Slight adjustments can make a big difference.

Never underestimate the power of a new habit or connection.

A total overhaul is rarely warranted.

Wobbles prompt growth and progress, and are part of the development of our own resilience – as are the support systems around us whose responsibility it is to help mitigate those wobbles.

If things feel too much, whether it’s at home or in work, in terms of relationship strain or financial issues - a ‘wobble’ can potentially occur.