Ms Akambey Awontemi Isabella, the first runner up of the 2020 Miss Health Ghana beauty pageantry, has urged fresh students at the University for Development Studies (UDS) to prioritize ways of preserving their mental health.

Ms Akambey enlightened the students on how to fine-tune their psychosocial attributes to thrive successfully in the University environment and focus on the main purpose for perusing high academic lures.

“I want to first congratulate you all for gaining admission and it is my prayer that you thrive in your various endeavours and also as an Ambassador for mental health, I deem it very important to engage you in ways of improving your emotional, psychological and social well-being.

“Creating this awareness on mental health for you students is very important because more often many of you do come across situations that worsen your mental health and affect your education in the long run,” she said.

Ms Akambey stated during the annual orientation programme on the theme: “Fitting into the New Environment” was organized by the UDS Student Representative Council for new students.

She also urged the students to engage in extracurricular activities as a way to handle stress while promoting general mental health.

She reiterated the need for students to show love and compassion towards one another.

She highlighted the signs of depression and encouraged students to speak to the school counsellors about their struggles.

Professor Paul Aryee, Vice Dean of Students, entreated the students to strive to achieve the best of results during their stay at the University.

He also stressed on the need for students to remain disciplined while they remained products of the University and prayed they all come out successful at the end.