Eating with friends is one of Clifford Diaz’s favourite ways of socialising. He has a lot of friends from all over the world, and this is reflected in the meals they share.

“I’m very fortunate to have learnt so much about so many different cuisines while also getting to spend time with these people”, Clifford says.

For Clifford, who came to Finland from the Philippines to study, wellbeing means feeling content, relaxed and happy. He takes care of himself by getting enough sleep, eating a nutritious diet and exercising. When he can’t find the energy to go to the gym, he works out at home.

Finding the right health services in a new country when faced with a foreign language can sometimes be tricky, says Clifford. What has helped him are his nursing studies, his Finnish friends and the volunteer work he does.

“Finland has a great healthcare system, but of course we also have to take care of our own health so that we can live well and keep working towards our goals”, Clifford says.

The YTHSDigi app provides an easy way to take care of health issues in one place – and that includes international students. The app’s digital treatment paths, for example, help students look after their wellbeing before any problems develop, whenever it’s most convenient for them. The paths cover topics such as support for mental wellbeing, health while travelling, concentration problems and self-care for masticatory (chewing) system problems.

Helping others lifts his spirits

Belonging to a community and learning new things bring Clifford the energy he needs to thrive in his daily life. Living in Finland and having a multicultural circle of friends provides him with new experiences every day. This also applies to his voluntary work.

Clifford, who worked with the Red Cross in his home country, contacted several of the organisation’s local branches after moving to Finland. He regularly volunteers for the organisation, doing things like teaching first aid classes in English and helping organise various types of events.

Volunteering provides Clifford with an opportunity to meet new people and offer them help when needed. He finds it difficult to put into words just how good this makes him feel.

“The work I do comes straight from the heart. It makes me feel so good to help someone learn something new or make their life a little easier in some way.”

Every day is a new opportunity

What motivates Clifford to study is his curiosity. Studying can sometimes be stressful and even a lonely slog. When this happens, Clifford reminds himself of why he’s studying. This helps him find the strength he needs.

“I try to turn stress into motivation,” is how he tackles it.

Clifford says it’s important for everyone to remember to take breaks while studying. He spends some of his breaks on social media and reading news about both his home country, the Philippines, and Finland.

“That usually reminds me I should focus on learning Finnish, and turn to watching news clips in Finnish. This gives me more energy to keep studying.”

Clifford says that the key to balancing studies and wellbeing is just being yourself. He says it’s also important to remember that everyone has bad days – that’s part of life. And when things get difficult, help is only a phone call away.

“Every problem has a solution, and tomorrow is always a new day and you get to turn over a new leaf.”