Have you ever had a moment (or multiple moments) during your time in college when you start to panic and think: “What am I doing with my life?” If so, you’re not the only one. While there isn’t much research or statistics done on the matter, numerous college publications and student blogs are using the term “mid-college crisis” to describe an obstacle many college students face.
So, what is it?
Although “mid-college crisis” isn’t defined in Webster’s Dictionary, Urban Dictionary defines it as, “the state of being in which a 2nd year college student still feels completely lost and attempts to re-examine the meaning of one’s pathetic little life before becoming another useless member of society.” Reassuring right? Of course, our lives are not pathetic and we will not be useless but Urban Dictionary has a point… most of us experience times where we tend to re-examine our lives, especially during our sophomore or junior year of college.
My own mid-college crisis happened sometime last semester. My grades weren’t quite at the high standard I require them to be and amidst the stress of applying for summer internships, I had a momentary breakdown. Should I go to grad school when I graduate? Do I really want to do PR? Is this the right summer internship for my major? Should I move home or stay out here? And on and on and on. I thought I was the only one, I mean we’re at Carolina right? Everyone seems like they have it totally together, like they know exactly what they want to do with their lives and how they’re going to get there. But after a little research and talking to other students, I realized I’m not the only one having these internal struggles. And neither are you. And that’s okay because that’s what college is all about.
So, what do you do?
After identifying that you may in fact be experiencing a mid-college crisis, whether that’s through questioning your future, considering switching majors, making big relationship decisions, or any other source of anxiety, there are a few things you can do to calm yourself down.
First and foremost, breathe. No rational solutions will be found through panic or stress, and it’s not worth the sleepless nights. When you start feeling the stress, take some time to relax and do something that makes you happy like go for a run, meet a friend for lunch, catch a movie, or just walk around this beautiful campus to remind yourself how lucky you are to be here.
Remember nothing is set in stone. Jenny Wajahn, a junior pre-med student, said, “Regardless of what I decide to do with my life, going to med school is not my only option. And if I do go to med school, that still doesn’t mean I’m stuck on that path of life if I change my mind. Whatever I decide now doesn’t mean that’s what it absolutely has to be…I can always change my life five or ten years down the road and figure out how to make it work.”
Keep in mind how far ahead of the game you already are. You go to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, one of the top public universities in the country. The education, the experiences, the people you’re meeting… there is no better place to be. And a degree from this school will be valuable and meaningful, no matter what you decide to do with your life.
Don’t forget to enjoy college. The stress of grades, internships, jobs, and plans for our future sometimes overshadow the other great things college has to offer. We only get four years here. And if you’re a first-year or a sophomore, I am honestly envious of the time you still have left. It goes by faster than you will ever believe, and I know that when I look back at my college experience, I’ll remember the interesting classes I took, times spent laughing with my friends, and getting goosebumps every time I watch a basketball game in the Dean Dome. Don’t let the stress of your future ruin the experiences of your present.