There's no denying that the transition from secondary school to third-level education takes some getting used to.

And while some students thrive in their new environment, countless others struggle to adjust, and ultimately berate themselves for being unable to adapt to their new surroundings.

But according to a recent study, this default response to an apparent failing only serves to perpetuate the feelings of distress many students experience during their first year at university.

Researchers from the University of British Columbia have concluded that students who exhibit higher levels of self-compassion feel more energetic, alive and optimistic during their first year of university.

"Our study suggests the psychological stress students may experience during the transition between high school and university can be mitigated with self-compassion because it enhances the psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, which in turn, enriches well-being," explained the study's lead author, Katie Gunnell.

Researchers conclude that for a student to prosper during their first year, it is vital that they avoid negative self-judgement and feelings of inadequacy.

Research shows first-year university is stressful," said co-author and UBC kinesiology professor Peter Crocker.

"Students who are used to getting high grades may be shocked to not do as well in university, feel challenged living away from home, and are often missing important social support they had in high school."

"Self-compassion appears to be an effective strategy or resource to cope with these types of issues," he explained.

By initiating self-compassion exercises which promote self-kindness, students were less likely to be self-critical, and ultimately perform better over the course of their first year in third-level education.

Something to think about…