For as long as I can remember, each year of school was a preparation for the next year. We learned how to add and subtract in one year so that we could divide and multiply the next. We learned the alphabet and basic grammar so that we could eventually write in-depth papers. Things became harder because “the next year would be even harder.”
From pre-school to twelfth grade, all of those years have been a preparation for this. College. The real deal. The big leagues. But, in all of that preparation, the one thing so many of us are lacking is how to put our mental health before anything else, including school.
So many college students feel stressed, anxious, depressed, and panicky, yet they don’t know how to deal with that because they were taught that school is always the most important thing and school comes first no matter what. They struggle to go to class, take tests, and function in a healthy way, but fear of missing class or doing poorly keeps them from taking time to evaluate their mental well-being and get help.
There is not one distinct mental health issue, and even small issues are very important. One person’s mental health should never be compared to another’s. Depression, anxiety, and eating disorders all have a multitude of symptoms. These can be sleeping too much, sleeping too little, barely eating, eating too much, having a lack of emotions, and many many more. It is important to remember that these issues can present themselves in many different ways, and one person’s depression may look very different than someone else’s.
We have grown up in an era where feeling incredibly stressed is the norm, and no one ever told us that school should never compromise our mental well-being. We live in an era where it’s weirder to not be stressed than to be stressed, and that is incredibly wrong.
It’s okay to close the books and get an early night. It’s okay to take time for yourself every now and then. It’s okay to ask for help, because chances are if you feel a certain way there is at least one other person who feels the same.
Struggling with a mental illness, or even just feeling stressed is nothing to be ashamed of, and helping yourself is much more important than anything else. After all, we only have one body and one life, we have to take care of it before we can take on any other task.
If you or a friend is struggling with any mental illness, UCSB’s Counseling and Psychological Services can help. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, this is a small step in the right direction. And remember, if no one told you this before, I’m telling you now:
School will never be more important than your mental health.