Flying with Anxiety: Four tips to prevent your phobia from disrupting your travel

Laura shares her tips on easing anxieties associated with flying, so that you can enjoy your travels.

- Laura Williamson

Flying is a common phobia, with 1 in 10 people in the UK experiencing it to some extent. For some, it can be the flight that causes the overwhelming majority of anxiety regarding the trip, even if they have a huge travel adventure organised. For others, flying is so scary that it stops them from travelling abroad entirely. So, as someone who loves travelling as much as fearing flying, here are some of my tips on how to make it (a little) easier:

1) Book the seat you want 

It’s worth making sure, if you can, that you have booked a plane seat that will cause least anxiety. For example, if turbulence has you white knuckling it the whole way, the seats in the middle of the plane, over the wings, usually experience the least turbulence and with back experiences the most. Some people prefer to be sat by the window where they can see where they’re going, but to others that’s a nightmare situation. It can be pricey but also invaluable if it’ll definitely put you at ease. Sometimes, if you tell the flight crew, they can move you if it’s possible.

2) Let the flight crew know 

This may seem embarrassing but, if you’re flying alone, letting plane staff know you’re anxious is worth it. They’re literally paid to keep you safe and happy, so a quick chat as you’re getting on the plane is no bother to them. Usually, they’ll make sure to keep an eye on you; it’s surprising how much a quick chat or “hey, how are you doing?” from someone who flies for a living can help alleviate your anxiety, especially if you have no one else to talk to.

Image Description: Plane flying off into the sunset

3) Understand why things happen the way they do 

Ever been sat on a plane and a weird noise or vibration has put you in a cold sweat? Planes are supposed to make weird noises, and pilots expect minor turbulence and these things can’t bring down a plane. Very few injuries are caused by turbulence, and generally only to flight crew who aren’t wearing seatbelts. Doing research before the flight may help you to understand why things happen the way they do, so there’s no panic about losing the ‘left phalange’.

4) Prepare in advance 

Sometimes the airport can cause more stress than the flight itself. Preparing well in advance can be the best way to alleviate this anxiety; you don’t want to be flustered that you have the wrong visa when you’re already stressed about the flight. The Foreign Office offers information and checklists of essential documents needed for every country. Once you’ve made sure you have your passport, the correct visa, and know what you can and can’t bring into the country, and then you can focus on chilling out for the flight. 

You can follow the FCO on Facebook and Twitter @FCOtravel and on Instagram under @ukforeignoffice for further information and travel safety advice.

Hey, I'm Laura and I'm a history student at the University of Edinburgh. I'm writing for Student Minds to contribute to the conversation surrounding mental health.

ENTRY TEST PREP - Resources for Preparation

I have mentioned here the textbooks and resources I used, along with ones I feel are most suitable for use in order to prepare for the AKU Entry Test. I have based my choices and preferences after carefully matching their content with the AKU test Syllabus.

First off, if you intend on start studying for AKU's Entrance Test you must know at least an overview of the syllabus of the Entry Test so that you are aware of the content, topics you have done and ones you haven't. Click here for the Test Syllabus.

Now let's go over the books:

NOTE:
I found out after I had cleared my tests, that there are "AKU Exam Board" Textbooks available in the market, basically books that students in grades 11 and 12 studying in the AKU board use for their academics. Now, I haven't done a whole lot of research, but I do know that the "Entry Test Syllabus" is basically the curriculum of the AKU board academic system, so I feel safe to assume that these books ought to be ideal for studying the syllabus. So get a hold of these if you can. If you can not, I have shared some alternatives that I feel match the syllabus word for word and are incredible for syllabus coverage.
For more info on the AKU Exam Board, click here. (Link will open in a new window)

TEXTBOOKS:
Please note that there are three other boards apart from the AKU board that are studied across Pakistan, namely the Sindh Jamshoro Board, the Punjab Text Book Board and the Federal Board Islamabad. I have put up snapshots of the covers for convenience, but note that covers may differ based on the edition of the book.

1. BIOLOGY:
I checked all three boards for this and can safely say that all three boards are equally useful for coverage of the AKU Syllabus. I used the Sindh Jamshoro Board Biology Textbooks for Class 11 and 12 because these felt to be the most detailed. There is a downside to the Sindh Board though, because the book is entirely black and white with dull pictures and no colour so it may get boring at times.
If I were to prepare for the test again, I would still select Sindh Board for Biology simply because of how detailed it is.

http://www.mynoteslibrary.com/pdf/Class_XI_Biology_Book_Notes.pdf

http://freebooks.pk/biology-part-2-for-12th-class (This is the eBook of Punjab Board Bio)

Covers of Sindh Board Bio Books!

2. CHEMISTRY:
Federal Board Islamabad is the way to go in the case of Chemistry because its content matches the AKU Syllabus ENTIRELY! Each and every chapter and every learning objective is covered in Federal Board Chem and this is not the case in the other two boards.
I'll give you an example: The AKU Chemistry Syllabus has a subtopic under Organic Chemistry as "Detection of Element in Organic Compound". You will not find a topic or even content related to this topic in the other two boards whereas in Federal Board Chem, there is an entire separate Heading for exactly this! 
Trust me on this and get Federal Board Islamabad Chemistry Textbooks (Class 11 and 12) and you won't regret it!
 You may get these books from anywhere, I got a hold of them from Urdu Bazar at Karachi. They will make your preparation extremely efficient. Here's what the covers look like:

Here's some links you may find useful, I couldn't find any free eBook online so you will have to purchase the books. These links are to notes and resources derived from those books.https://urdubazaronline.pk/school%20books/Federal%20Board%20Books%20Urdu%20Bazar%20Karachi/Chemistry%20Grade%2012%20Federal%20Board%20(National%20Book%20Foundation)https://archive.org/details/CollegeChemistryGuideForClass12PDFFederalBoardhttps://www.office.com.pk/f-sc-2nd-year-chemistry-notes-federal-board-in-pdf/Update! I was able to find a pdf of the first 5 chapters of class 12 Chemistry. Here's the link:http://www.learningall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/first-5-chapters-chemistry-xii.pdf3. PHYSICS:Punjab Board is for Physics what Federal Board is for Chemistry. Get a hold of Punjab Textbook Board's Physics Books for class 11 and 12 for a comfortable syllabus completion of your AKU entry test. It's got sound English, really helpful questions and worked examples, and it's coloured and very user friendly. Oh and here's the cherry on top, free eBooks for both years! Yay!Follow the links to PDF files of each book: (Links will open in a new window) Class 11 Physics, Punjab Board PDFClass 12 Physics, Punjab Board PDF(NOTE: If you have trouble opening the pdf files, contact me ASAP and I will fix up the links or email them to you directly)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES I USED AND FOUND VERY HELPFUL:1. SABAQ.PKwww.sabaq.pkThis is a website I wish every student in Pakistan knew about. Open it up and you'll see just why. The procedure is the same, Sindh board for bio, Federal Board for Chem and Punjab board for Physics. You won't find the books here but you'll find the exact same topics in the form of video lectures. DO GIVE THIS A TRY. I used this website as a substitute for going to any tuition centre for prep, and believe me it did miracles. The lectures are in Urdu, are incredibly easy to understand and often accompany helpful solved questions.2. DOGAR BROTHERS' "MASTER THE AKU MCAT"https://www.dogar.com.pk/book/master-mcat-aga-khan-medical-college/I only used this book for practising questions and practising papers. There's a huge collection of questions and a lot of complete papers you can practise from and solve available in this book. BUT NOTE THIS, although claimed to be past papers of the AKU entry test, the questions here were not like ones that I encountered in the real Entrance Exam. The questions of the entry test were much more conceptual and required a lot more thinking, and not rote memorisation. Nevertheless, these are good for practise and self assessment. Could I have done without these? Maybe. I used the book 2-3 days before the paper to practise every chapter and that was pretty cool.3. SAT 2 BIOLOGY by Princeton and Kaplan:I borrowed these from a friend to study the Kingdoms bit of Biology only, because I didn't touch those chapters from the Sindh Board Bio book. They saved a lot of time and I was able to correctly attempt the Kingdoms related questions in the test as well, so it worked for me. This was the only time I used SAT 2 Books, some people used SAT 2 for all three sciences and to be honest I would've prefered to sit the SAT Subject tests before the AKU test for prior preparation coverage of topics explained beautifully in these books. So yeah, I would encourage you to sit the SAT Subject tests. (I didn't :p)And that's a wrap to this post. I hope you find these resources and books helpful. Feel free to hit me up for any confusions, errors, broken links or suggestions you may have on regarding this post. I will be sure to get back to you. For now, all the best and happy studying!

Coping with Stress

Erin shares how she copes with stress using a technique called "PAGE"

- Erin

Stress – it is a term that we use very lightly. But do we as individuals really know how to come to terms with stress, so that it doesn’t affect our day-to-day lives?

Living with multiple mental illnesses, stress is something I have to continue to fight with on a daily basis. Not just stress from external environmental factors, but also the stress that I am faced with through my mind and thoughts.

Stress is an example of our body’s way of coping with “Fight, Flight or Freeze”. It is a survival mechanism that is embedded into our bodies to allow us to handle tough situations. However, when you are trying to overcome simple tasks, this stress can also inhibit you from thinking rationally. For me, If I don’t come to terms with my stress and use the tools I have learnt to relax my mind, my stress turns into anxiety and for me, this can very often turn into a downwards spiral.

When you are in a stressful situation, there is no point in overthinking the stress, although this can be easier said than done. You need to practise techniques that allow you to calm your thoughts. The more you overthink the thoughts of the stress, the less you will be able to face the problems head on and overcome them with reasoning.

One mechanism that I have learnt through continuous and deep therapy over the last couple of years, is “PAGE”. It is a simple strategy that you can use at any time and in any situation.

One simple way I use this exercise is during rush hour. Packed against people on the underground, squashed face-to-face in a confined space makes me very anxious. My mind starts to tell me that I can’t do it and to escape at the earliest moment. I feel myself struggle to breathe and I can feel my heart rate beginning into increase - this is body reacting to the “flight, fight or freeze” response, and eventually I will find myself in a panic.

However, (1) Pausing my mind, (2) Acknowledging my breathing, (3) Gathering my thoughts, and (4) noticing my Edges reminds me that I am okay and that I can cope with any situation I am faced with.

It seems so simple, but only with practice has my mind become in the routine of listening to this exercise and actually using it to it’s full potential.

Now, I am not a psychologist, nor a doctor. This is just something I have learnt from the many books I have read and the many therapists I have worked with. You can choose to use it or not, but for me it is very beneficial and allows me act in a collected manner when stressed.

The PAGE exercise;

To start with, when practising PAGE, I did it in a quiet environment, using it two or three times a day. However, once your mind gets into the routine of following the exercise you can then bring it into any day-to-day context, as frequently as you wish.

PAGE stands for: Pause, Acknowledge, Gather, and Edges.

First, pause, sit in a comfortable position and breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. On your out-breath, say to yourself “PAUSE”. Fall into your body and feel the muscles become loose and relaxed. As you do this, focus your attention on the movement of your stomach, and ACKNOWLDEGE the breaths, in and out. Let the thoughts in your mind flow, do not engage with them and do not talk back to them. Just acknowledge that they are there and leave them to come and go. Continue paying attention to your body’s movements as you breathe in and out.

As you do this GATHER your thoughts. Rationalise them and let yourself know that you are fine. You are living, you are breathing and you are going to be okay. Now bring your attention to where you are sitting. Notice the EDGES of your hands on your legs, the edges of your legs against the chair, the soles of your feet on the ground (apply this to the position you are currently in) and breathe.

When you feel you are more collected and calm, you can go about your normal tasks that you need to carry out. Although, now you can do it in a calm and collected manner with your mind being more steady and your thoughts being more rational.

Hi, my name is Erin, I am currently in my final year studying Design Management at UAL in London. I have suffered from my mental health from the age of 10 years old. My diagnoses are still ongoing but suspected of; Depression, Anxiety, Autism, Bipolar and Borderline personality disorder. I began writing for Student Minds in order to share my own experiences of my journey with mental health. The aim is to increase awareness and to decrease the stigma attached to mental illnesses as a whole.

Why I decided to shave my head for Mental Health Charities

Amelia shares her journey to making the decision to shave her head for mental health charities.

- Amelia Hartley

I recently created a video, posted on YouTube, sharing my story behind choosing to shave my head on the 3rd December this year to raise money for Student Minds and the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).

Despite writing about my motivations on my fundraising page and in emails to friends and family, writing and filming a video to be posted online for the world to see was an incredibly daunting process. It took a lot of courage: courage I didn’t know I had. It showed me how far I have come and how much strength I have – we all have so much strength.

I’ve experienced some heightened anxiety over the past couple of months. Tackling a big fundraising goal is £2500 isn’t easy. I’ve had fears of not reaching my target, nobody attending the event, being laughed at or judged once the hair goes, friends not supporting me…the list goes on! However, I have had plenty of individuals express their support and encouragement.

Shaving my head for charity has become so much more than just trying to raise money for the causes. It’s also about showing people that it’s okay to talk about mental health and that recovery doesn’t happen overnight. It’s about reducing the stigma, as we all have mental health and we should all respect it like we do with our physical health. It’s about raising awareness of two amazing charities who are supporting thousands of individuals across the UK and will continue to support thousands more. I never thought I would one day be able to talk openly and honestly about my mental health, but here I am.

I was 14, and living in Sydney, when first diagnosed with depression. I felt like the only person of my friends, year group, even school, who wasn't 'happy' all the time. I thought I shouldn't feel like this because nothing had happened to trigger how I felt. I was looking for an excuse, and hoping that excuse would provide a solution to becoming better.

My methods for feeling better weren't healthy; I was self-harming, drinking and isolating myself. I had suicidal feelings. I started taking anti-depressants but I didn’t want anyone to know, or they'd know that something was wrong with me. I’ve realised now how helpful they are to some people, including myself. I still take them, but I’m not embarrassed or ashamed; having depression isn’t shameful.

In September 2010, my best friend died and my world completely fell apart. This was my first experience of 'suicide'. It was a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and we will never know whatever led him to that point. A life taken at 18: he had so much more to do, and we had so much love and hugs still to give him. Sometimes things are buried so deeply that nobody can help at the crucial moment. I would do anything to bring him back, but since I can’t, I want to try to help fewer men take their own lives. This is why I have chosen the Campaign Against Living Miserably, the male suicide prevention charity, as one of the charities to raise money for. In 2016, 76% of all suicides in the UK were male, and this has been the case since the early 1990s. It is the biggest killer of men under 45. However, CALM prevents over 250 suicides every year. They offer a helpline, website resources, and support, tackle stigma through massive national campaigns and increase the awareness of male suicide rates. Just a £7 donation can pay for a potentially life-saving call, so giving a little can do a lot.

I have personally seen that suicide is preventable – another close friend of mine, who had a suicide attempt, has come far and is alive and well today. I am so thankful he had the right help and support, and am pleased I could support him too.

In 2011, I moved back to England and took the opportunity to improve my academic work and my mental health. Despite lots of ups and downs, I did well in my A levels and went to study Physics at university, excited by the opportunity to continue learning.

Three months before moving to Southampton, from nowhere, I felt a massive dip in my mental health and began drinking and caring very little about myself. Starting university, I didn’t feel in control and was very vulnerable, and then my uncle suddenly passed away over the Christmas holiday. Jon was like a father to me, who I had hoped would be at my graduation and walk me down the aisle at my wedding. I felt like a part of myself had been brutally and abruptly ripped from me. 

I spiralled. I couldn’t concentrate in lectures or sit exams without crying. I didn’t feel I could talk to people; it seemed no one would understand the grief or pain I was experiencing. I couldn’t pretend to be ok and couldn’t be rude, so I isolated myself. Feeling outside of myself, I was watching ‘me’ go through each day without any control. There were times when I couldn’t picture the next 24 hours. I was scared of myself. 

I had to start recovery. University was still the route I thought I was going to be taking, so I stopped drinking and started taking care of myself. I went into second year with a positive frame of mind but my mental health still wasn’t great, even though it had improved.

I found that university was making things worse. Opportunities I’d found in university were the things that were keeping me going such as running a Student Minds peer support group for students experiencing low moods. The programme I was facilitating, and subsequent support network, kept me going through second year and allowed me to leave university knowing I’d made the right decision to drop out. Student Minds saved me – I don’t know where I’d be without them. The mental health of university students would be at a crisis point without the peer support, staff training, campaigns and sector influence that Student Minds offers. This is why I have chosen them as my second charity. Their work is hugely recognised, and it is an honour to now work for the charity.

You can’t always see depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts. You don’t always know how much someone is struggling. It doesn’t always show outwardly; they might not talk about it because they’re worried about others’ reactions. If I tell someone that I have clinical depression and anxiety or have experienced suicidal thoughts, they might change how they behave around me or panic. It’s not necessarily an illness with an easy diagnosis and treatment, where people wish you to get well soon and celebrate your recovery. Mental health difficulties and suicide affect millions of individuals across the UK. For that, I will do my bit by shaving my head and raising as much money as I possibly can for the Campaign Against Living Miserably and Student Minds.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, please donate if you can, please share this as much as possible. We can all share our stories and they can have more impact than we ever imagine.

Fundraising page: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/ameliagoesbald

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/h7JCdp0QkpI

Hi, I'm Amelia and I am the Training Programmes Manager at Student Minds. I previously volunteered for the charity, and love now being part of the staff team. I've had lots of ups and downs over the years, but have found Oxford a beautiful place to live and work, and the countryside certainly helps my mood! We all have mental health, let's keep fighting the stigma.

November-December, WHAT SHOULD YOU BE DOING RIGHT NOW?

It was around this time last year when the thought of AKU really seriously hit me, and curiosity arose as to what should my plan be from here on in order to ensure my admission into the university. I feel that a lot of students will start, already have been, or soon will start to think about this. I hope to answer this question through this post.
Question:
What should I be doing in November-December, with around half a year remaining for me to undergo the entire AKU admission process?

My Answer:

1. FOCUS ON YOUR ONGOING STUDIES:

Whether you're an A level student, an intermediate FSC student of any board across Pakistan or an international student studying in a different board, your priority for now must be to continue studying in your respective academic circle and try your best to do the best you can in them. This time of the year is usually for the mid-term assessments, so study for those, and then continue studying for your final exams. Getting a good grade in your Examinations (the finals, e.g. CIE A Level papers) will definitely be helping you, not just in getting a good grade but also for preparation for your AKU entry test.

TRUST ME ON THIS, everything you're studying right now is a part of your entrance test preparation. I was an A Level student, and I can safely say that most of the marks I scored in the test were based on my knowledge through my A level studies. So yeah, focus on whatever you're studying right now and aim to get the best possible result in it, and you'll be good to go.

2. INTERNSHIP, COMMUNITY SERVICE AND PAID WORK:

You're upcoming winter break (December vacation) is probably the last vacation you'll be getting for a long time with your exams and then the AKU process taking up your next summer break, so my advice to you is this: Utilise this winter break. If you haven't done so already (most of my classmates did some sort of community work during the summer break after their first year AS level exams), involve yourself into some kind of community service or internship, preferably at a hospital, foster home or orphanage. This will really help you in gathering experience, motivation and inspiration. I've always regarded the profession of medicine to be a highly prestigious one and I gain a lot of contentment even just thinking about "helping out someone with their lives", in its truest and purest meaning. I really feel that visits to hospitals, and such interactions with patients, nurses and doctors were the key to my motivation, that really instilled in me the decision to join this profession and to do my best to get into the most prestigious place to start its journey, and I'm really elated with where that's taken me. And so I would highly recommend you to get into some sort of community work or hospital internship this Winter Break and work there wholeheartedly, and I assure you it will be bring not just apparent advantages but spiritual benefits as well. Oh, and as a bonus you'll have an extracurricular activity that AKU highly regards (this is based on my interview questions and their extracurricular form) and you'll probably have a lot to talk about in the interview as well! (trust me, you want this, silent interviews are a definite no no)

NOTE: There is an AKU Volunteer Work Programme that happens during the Summer Vacations. I don't have the details on it yet because I didn't take part in it so I'm getting a hold of someone with the information and I'll write a post on it soon. But please note, if you're applying to AKU next year in 2018, you obviously will NOT have the time for the programme, so this is for anyone planning to apply in 2019 or onward.

3. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:

These are extremely important, much more important than most of you might think. AKU is looking for all rounded, well educated and dedicated individuals, and not just focused hardworking students (emphasis on "just"), and trust me they will ask you about your extracurricular activities, a lot! So its really important that you ensure you've got a wide range of activities which you involve yourself in. Make sure you keep your certificates safe, they'll come in handy later next year. The scope and impact of your activities is entirely up to you, and it can range from being at an international level to even being a personal interest or hobby of yours, just make sure you're doing what you enjoy a so that the passion oozes out when you're asked to write or speak about it, that's what I believe. I'll make a separate, more detailed post about extracurricular activities because of how highly AKU considers it, but for now here are a few you could consider:

• Sports
• Debates, Poetry, Public Speaking (MUN maybe)
• Olympiads
• All forms of art
• Community work/ volunteer work
• Writing
• Personal Hobbies and Interests

4. SOCIALISATION:

Yes, socialisation and having friends and strong relationships with your relatives is as essential as anything else when it comes to applying to a university like AKU. You're hoping to becoming a doctor, and you're probably aware that the profession demands a lot of human interaction, so you need to show that you're comfortable with it, and the best way to show that is to have a reasonable social life. So yeah, get along with, different groups of friends even, spend time with family and it'll really help you pretty soon. And needless to say, AKU does ask about one's social and family life during the interview.

5. OPTIONAL:

• Go over the AKU website, you will be doing a lot next year though
• Sit the SAT (I've heard studying for the SAT Science subject tests really helps out with the AKU test, plus you can mention your scores in AKU's stage 2 application form, one you'll receive after clearing the test, but it's up to you. I didn't sit for the SATs.

And that's about it for now for the next month and a half, I hope this helps you out. I'm pretty sure most of you are doing most of what I've mentioned in the most and more but I'd just like you to ensure you're not overlooking anything. You're time right now is of great value and is certainly the first few steps up this long uphill journey, but trust me, you'll love the view at the top! All the best and I'll write again soon!
Cheers!

NOTE: If you're a senior reading this I would love to get some feedback and anything that you might feel one should involve themselves in during this time of their lives. Hit me up on my My Facebook Page or email me at akuhelper98@gmail.com

Supporting Someone with Mental Health Difficulties

Jackson shares his experiences living with anxiety and how it affects his relationships.

-Jackson Miller

After receiving plenty of supportive feedback for my first anxiety post, I wanted to write this second post without hesitation. I was asked what advice I'd give to the loved ones of those suffering from anxiety or any other mental difficulty.

This article contains details of my own relationship and the strain anxiety has placed upon it. I also give advice to those who are family, friends, or partners of someone with a mental illness, from the perspective of that person. Friendship, family relationship, or romantic relationship - this content applies to all.

My Relationship

I'm currently in a relationship with someone who makes me smile brighter than anything else in this world. We share the same values and thrive in our relationship as it's suffused with trust and honesty.

We've been together for two and a half years and, like all relationships, we've had some tough times. But we've had an exceptionally strong relationship; whenever the few arguments we've had did arise we always handled it maturely and supported each other.

My Relationship + Anxiety

Now that you have a little insight into my relationship and its stability, let me tell you about how my anxiety has affected the relationship. There have been many major effects that my anxiety has had on my relationship:

* Being unable to travel

* Being unable to eat at her house

* Being unable to do events with her family

* Being extremely clingy at times

* Putting pressure on her as my supportive anchor

* Constantly leaning on her when my anxiety drained my own strength

* She had to be there with me during anxiety attacks

* She had to watch for years as my anxiety ate away at me

* She had to explain to people why we didn't attend certain events

She Became My Anchor

My girlfriend is now the one thing in the world that takes my anxiety away. Of course, it still does occur - but it lessens when I'm with her and even when it does resurface she helps me through it.

If you become a grounding force for a person you know with a mental illness, there are a couple things you need to realise:

* They will depend on you, probably more than anyone else in their life

* You'll take on a significant responsibility

* At times, they'll feel like a burden to you

* They will need you, especially when you're away from them

We Can Be Burdens - And We Know It

I'm not going to rant about how I feel sorry for myself for being a burden, but I will address this truth: my anxiety makes life for me and everyone else more difficult at times. 

If you are involved with someone with mental health difficulties, understand that they will feel guilty. They are aware of the pressure they bring, and they sometimes think you'd be better off without them. This can affect their self-esteem; they won't show it all the time and often won't even admit it, but it can exacerbate their low mood.

I'm saying this because it is important to be aware of the way they view your relationship. Look out for when they try to distance themselves from you just to spare you, as these are the times when we need support the most. While it's difficult because we don't want to cause you pain or stress, it's never good for us to push you away.

I've learned that trying to deny being a burden isn't healthy, but growing engulfed by it is even worse. Everyone has their imperfections, and we continue to love each other anyway.  

How Can You Be Supportive?

If you have a relationship with someone who suffers from mental health difficulties,

* Support them as much as you can

* Learn about their situation

* Remind them of the positives, not the negatives

* Be there to help them when they are down. Paradoxically, giving them space can be key. If you can't help - and often, the only one who can help them is them - then just be there for when they need you. 

For the full-length article and more on the subject, visit collegeinsightboost.ca

Hi, I’m Jackson. I’m a first year business student attending Humber College with a deep passion for reading, writing, and inspiring others. I’ve suffered with two mental illnesses for several years now and understand how much helpful information can improve your situation. Mental illnesses have a major impact on relationships, friendships, academic performance, careers, and basic living. After experiencing the struggles a mental illness can cause, I decided I wanted to write for Student Minds and share what I’ve learned from my personal experiences to help those in similar situations.

AKU ENTRY TEST SYLLABUS

Below are the links to the entry test syllabus, for each of Physics, Chemistry and Biology. I'd suggest you print these out and give each of them a read, just to identify how much of the syllabus you've never touched and how much you have come across at some point in your studies. DO NOT START STUDYING FOR THE ENTRY TEST!!! Just go through the syllabus and match it with your current studies. The Syllabuses will open in a new window:

Biology Syllabus
Chemistry Syllabus 
Physics Syllabus

My next post will be on the paper pattern, marks and details of the test!

What's In Store?

Here’s an overview for A Level Students about what’s in store for you in your upcoming future up until you secure admission into the Aga Khan University Inshallah. Considering you’re reading this in November, here’s how things will probably be going for you:

1. Continue studying for your mid-terms, then your mocks and then your A Level exams
2. Involve yourself in various extracurricular activities, such as debates, music, art and literature, writing, sports, Olympiads and intra and interschool competitions.
3.  Receive, collect and compile ALL certificates you have received (Academic as well as Extracurricular) and keep them safe. These will be extremely useful for you when you clear the test Inshallah, so make sure you’re not looking for them everywhere when the time comes.
4. Give mid-terms.
5. Get your O level Equivalencies made. Get this done early so you’re not worrying at the end in case there’s any kind of delay. This will also help you get familiar with the equivalency process for when you’ll be getting your A Level ones made.
6. Have a look at the AKU website, www.aku.edu Look at when their admission cycle is scheduled to open. Download (and print) the AKU test syllabus for each science and the sample test papers. Go further deep into the website if you’re interested and have the time.
7. Keep studying and living. Try and focus as much as you can on your science subjects because these will go a long way helping you, not just in the AKU test itself, but an A* in each science will get you a brilliant Pre-Medical Equivalency that will help you with every university in the country.
8. Mock exams.
9. A level Exams.
10. By mid to end of MAY, perhaps even during your A Level exams, the AKU online application will open. If you’re still having your papers, have a look at the Application deadline to see if you’ll be done with your exams and still have ample of time to fill in the forms. If this is the case then give your papers with your undivided attention. If it isn’t this way and your papers will be continuing till or even after the deadline, then you’ll have to plan wisely and undergo the application process alongside preparing for and sitting your exams.
11. You’ll receive your first letter from AKU with your admit card, a checklist of some sorts and information including the entry test date. For us, the Test date was 9^th July.
12. Your A Level exams come to an end. The date for this and your test will be very important and will determine your Entry Test prep planning and schedule. Our test was on the 9^th of July, and most of us (students that had 3 science subjects and Math) had our last A Level Exam on the 18^th of May. Our AKU application deadline was the 31^st of May and we were informed of the test date by the 5^th of June. So we had lots of time for almost everything. There were students, however, that had exams well into June (GPR and World History Students for example) and had a more constricted preparation time frame.
13. Enjoy a slight break IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT. I was through with my exams by the 16^thof May, and I spend 10 days enjoying, relaxing and not studying. After the 25^thI started reading through the books and sorting out my preparation plan, and I properly started studying from the 5^th of June. And I can safely say 1 Month was quite enough for a smooth and stress free study schedule.
14. Start preparing for the entry test. Details for this will be on another separate post.
15. Sit the test.
16. Receive Test Result, get short-listed for interview. We received the test results on the 31^st of July, Monday.
17. Receive a second package from AKU with an extensive form.
18. Fill out the form, gather your certificates and prepare for your interview.
19. Form submission.
20. A level result. Submit your provisional result to AKU via courier. Do not forget this.
21. Interview. Your interview may be scheduled for before your AKU result.
22. Get A level equivalencies made. 
23. Study for other Medical Universities. This is critical and will help you ensure a backup if things don’t go as planned. AKU’s decision comes somewhere during October, and the Provincial Medical College Entrance Exam takes place by end of October. I’d strongly advise you to study for the Provincial Entrance test as if you’ve been rejected from AKU. Then once you’ve been offered admission, Inshallah, you can let go of the accelerator.
24. Get Accepted into AKU. Have a look at your beautiful offer letter.
25. Fill out a lot of forms for admission acceptance, make initial payments, apply for scholarships and/or financial assistance
26. Appear for the Provincial Entry Test. AKU told us that sitting this test is a requirement of PMDC. They did not ask us for any minimum score so all you have to do is appear for the test to fulfil formalities.
27. Buy AKU lab coats.
28. Start university.

MY INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 2/2

This post (and the previous one) solely contains the questions I was asked in each of my interviews. It does not contain my preparation for the interview, feelings, emotions, a step by step series of events or my answers. All of these will come up in a much much more detailed future post. For now here's the questions I was asked in my second interview:

Interview 2 - Female interviewer  (Interview 1)
25-30 minutes long (this one was much shorter than the first one) 

1. Is this your first or second interview?
2. Tell me a bit about yourself?
3. You're into sports, tell me more about it.
4. Why do you want to study at AKU?
5. Everybody know's AKU is among the best, what's your one greatest reason?
6. And why do you think you are suitable for AKU?
7. What do you think you can offer to AKU?
8. Tell me about your friends.
9. Do you have any problems dealing with people/friends/students of the opposite gender?
10. Tell me about your previous institution. How did it help you grow as a person?
11. Tell me your 3 strengths and 3 weaknesses. She went on to ask questions as I spoke about each one but they were relatively general. 
12. (One of the weaknesses I described was of being relatively shy, so the interviewer followed that up with...) How are you shy, you've made so many friends in so many different places?
13. Is anyone in your family a doctor?
14. Are you aware of the stress, difficulties and pressures this profession has to offer? How do you and how will you deal with the stress that comes your way?
15. Give me an instance where you felt extreme stress and how you dealt with it?
16. What's your relationship with your parents like?
17. Do you have any significant hobbies?
18. Paid work?
19. Community service?
20. Do you read often? Tell me about the most recent book you read.
21. Are you into any form of art or music?
22. What do you understand by ethics? 
23. What is your opinion on rules? Why do rules exist?
24. Tell me about the socioeconomic issues in Pakistan, ones you feel are most significant.
25. Is there anything else you would like me to know about you?
26. Do you have any question? But please don't as me anything about this admission process because I'm not well aware of it.
27. Could you tell me who your first interviewer was?

Here's a link to my first interview questions!

https://getintoaku.blogspot.com/2017/11/my-interview-questions.html

MY INTERVIEW QUESTIONS - 1/2

This post (and the next one) solely contains the questions I was asked in each of my interviews. It does not contain my preparation for the interview, feelings, emotions, a step by step series of events or my answers. All of these will come up in a much much more detailed future post. For now here's the questions I was asked in my first interview:

Interview 1 - Male interviewer (Interview 2)
40-45 minutes long interview (really didn't realise it had been that long until after the interview)

1. "So tell me about yourself, nothing fancy, just your name, education and details of your family". (He really did specify it out for me, so no fancy "tell me about yourself" answers)
2. What do you do apart from your academics?
3. What are your achievements in that sport? (i talked about this sport while answering qs 2)
4. How long do spend playing/practising named sport?
5. Any other sports you play? So why did you pick "named sport"?
6. Tell me about a time when you took an initiative.
7. Have you ever held a post of leadership?
8. Do you have any other hobbies?
9. Why AKU?
10. What do you know about AKU? 
11. Tell me about the AKU website.
12. Tell me the names of programmes offered at AKU apart from MBBS.
13. Why should we take you? What will you bring to AKU?
14. Have you or will you apply to any other university/college?
15. What's your take on cheating?
16. Suppose you are in an exam and you see someone cheating, what do you do?
17. Give me 3 socioeconomic issues in Pakistan.
18. What will you do to improve the level of education in Pakistan?
19. Are you aware of the millennial goals?
20. What are water borne diseases?
21. Have you done any community work?
22. I told him about helping and guiding people online through a Facebook and Youtube page so he asked me the name of the page, telling me that it was to check it out later.
23. Have you done any paid work?
24. Do you enjoy teaching?
25. What is your relationship with your siblings like?
26. Have you ever travelled alone? How are you as an independent individual?
27. Have you been abroad?
28. Were you a part of any societies in school?
29. Do you have any maids at home? What's your relationship with them?
30. What's your role in your home? What chores do you help around in?
31. You have a really tight daily schedule so you probably do manage your time well, will you be able to continue that if you get into AKU?

Here's a link to the questions i was asked in My second interview!
https://getintoaku.blogspot.com/2017/11/my-interview-questions-22.html