If asked, one word I would use to describe college is mirror. College is this strange, unspoken world where everyone looks like they have it together on the outside, yet deep down you know no one is fully okay. You watch your peers move through life, achieving, growing, winning and you recognize success is possible for all of you. But you also know, quietly, that everyone is struggling too.
There are universal wins in college. Getting the e-board position you wanted, landing that one internship, forming connections that feel like stepping stones toward the life you dream about. In high school, preparing for your future felt like taking tiny steps each year. But in college, it’s like you’re leaping every single day, every choice, every email, every exam pushing you closer to something bigger. You genuinely feel yourself growing.
But growth comes with growing pains. That’s why I compare college to a mirror: you see the beauty, the potential, the version of yourself you’re trying to become, almost like watching muscle form. But the mirror also shows the flaws, the weaknesses, the doubts that creep in after one bad decision or a test you thought you did better on.
And sometimes, the “ugly” shows up more often than the good. The sophomore slump? Yea.. it’s real. I’ve been struggling with the duality of college, trying to find a balance between who I am, who I want to be and everything I’m juggling in between. Managing opportunities while chasing new ones feels impossible some days. I want so much more myself, and sometimes that desire knots me up until I feel stuck.
There are moments of loneliness too, even with a tight circle of friends. College has this way of placing a dark, heavy pressure on your chest when things take a turn or when life shifts unexpectedly.
And I’m not going to pretend I have it all figured out. I question things constantly. Just this past Thursday, after a bad Anatomy exam, I wondered if my dream of becoming a physician was even meant for me. It’s unsettling to look into that “college mirror” and only see the parts of yourself you don’t like.
So if you’re struggling too, if life is hitting a little harder than usual, please know this:
One rest day won’t kill you.
Sometimes the corny breathing exercises actually work.
Everyone around you has fallen apart at least once, even the people who look perfect.
You’re not alone.
And most importantly: there are people who love you, support you and believe in you more than you realize, even on the days when you are unlovable.