Tips To Manage College Chaos

Keeping up with everything in college is a full-time job. Classes, homework, grades, clubs, friends, home, relationships, money, work- it can become very overwhelming very fast. Knowing what you need to do is one thing but actually getting yourself to do it is a totally different ballgame. For the last few weeks I have found myself in a bit of a slump- I would get 8 hours of sleep but still feel totally exhausted the next day and not have the focus to get any of my work done. Sometimes it was even a struggle to go eat dinner with friends or get out of bed. A 2023 article for Mayo Clinic says, “across 133 college campuses, 44% of students reported symptoms of depression.” That’s a whole lot of people! Although it’s my second year of college, I am still learning how to navigate being responsible for myself. If you are feeling like things are getting too much and that you are struggling to keep up- just know that you are not alone at all. And it’s never too late to reset. Here are 3 things that I have learned help me when I want to dig myself out of a sticky situation. 

1. No one can do things alone. 

Sometimes it feels as though you are completely alone and need to figure everything out by yourself. I would tell myself “You put yourself in this situation so you need to get yourself out of it!” However, that is far from true! No one can do things alone. Reaching out to the people around you and saying “I’m not doing good. I need your help. I need your support.” can be monumental. They can sit down with you and help you write a plan, set up regular check-ins or simply listen and give you a hug. Getting things off your chest can help you move forward so you aren’t stuck in the past. I’ve had hour-long conversations with my parents and relayed to them everything that was causing me stress. Although they aren’t physically here, they were a tremendous help (even if they were upset with my grades.) I noticed that after our conversations my eye stopped twitching! Would you look at that! 

Your support system doesn’t need to be your parents- it can be your great grandpa, aunts, friends, therapist- anyone who you know will be there to listen and cheer you on! 

2. Professors are here to help

I know it can be intimidating to talk to your professors about assignments and grades. However- most professors are on your side! If you show them that you care, they will too! It can be very beneficial to talk to them (or email if that’s better) and ask them specific questions that you think will better help you succeed. Whenever I have talked to my professors about what I need I have been met with a very positive and understanding response. They want to see you succeed! 

3. Take care of your body (and no I don’t just mean working out)

This might sound like common sense, but it is something that a lot of college students forget to do. Our physical and mental health are directly related. As a 2024 article for the Mental Health Foundation states, “Physical health problems significantly increase our risk of developing mental health problems, and vice versa.”  

Making sure you eat, sleep, and reset is very important to staying as productive as you can. AND PLEASE TAKE YOUR MEDS! I neglected my morning pills for the chance to sleep in a few extra minutes and that choice affected the way I moved throughout the rest of my day. If you have medicine it can be really easy to throw them in your desk and forget about them. However- I was amazed by how my headaches, weight gain and constant fatigue could be explained by the simple fact that I was not taking my medicine. Shocker! 

If you are only sleeping a few hours a night or don’t have time to eat maybe it’s best to rethink your routines. Self care can be a bit complicated when you live in a dorm room but little things can make a big difference- how you go to bed can determine how you wake up. Cleaning your space, packing your bag for the next day and using good smelling soaps in the shower can help you reset and feel more energized for the next morning. 

Think of your body as the foundation to a house- you can’t build on top of a shaky structure. 

It takes some time and effort to catch up and stay on top of all the things college has to offer, but making small changes and reaching out to others can help you feel like you can finally put your feet on solid ground.