After having a conversation with one of my friends, we realized that we were both struggling in the past month. Midterms, essays, projects, exams, or whatever else is stressing you out, it’s important to remember that it is okay to not be okay.
College is meant to be a time where you discover yourself and what you want out of life. For many people, it is the perfect balance between adulthood and childhood as many college students have gained more independence after moving away from home. However, it can also be stressful to balance your life and school.
One thing I learned about this conversation was that everyone I knew was struggling in their own way and you can’t blame us for it. After a year and a half of uncertainty, death, and panic, college students have been one of the groups most affected by the pandemic. Many have struggled with anxiety or depression after spending months stuck at home due to the COVID-19 restrictions. For many people that I know, it is their first time back in the classroom since their senior year of high school (myself included), and are having a difficult time adjusting to in-person lectures and being on their own for the first time in their lives.
For others, it may be that they’ve realized that they are not happy with their major anymore and currently trying to switch it to something else, while also trying to figure their lives out. Many people panic at the idea that they’re running out of time or still don’t know what they want to major in, but here’s some advice: be okay with the unknown. Everyone moves at their own pace and achieves things at different stages of life.
Last but not least, making friends in college is hard. One thing I’ve learned is that this can be as stressful as dating. After a year and a half stuck at home, many college students are struggling to make friends and meet other people. Join clubs at school and talk to people in your classes. Without your knowledge, many of these people are also struggling to make friends or maybe too nervous to talk to you. Put yourself out there, life may surprise you.
Take a deep breath and remember, we all struggle one way or another. Remember that some of the best days of your life are still ahead of you.