How are you doing with classes? I know when I felt sad during my college years were because I was doing bad in my classes and I feel like I can never graduate (letting my parents down in the process).

If thats not it, and you are just feeling lonely, you should try making new friends. With 25,000 students, I bet there are many clubs and organizations that you can join. If you like sports, join the club sports team, or IM team. If you like literature, I am sure there are book clubs and poetry clubs on campus. Its hard not to find one you like.

If that doesn’t work, it might be the fact a big state school does not fit your personally. Perhaps you need smaller classrooms where professors and your classesmates have more interaction with you. I would suggest transfering to a smaller local college and continue your education there.

Don’t worry, I know a lot of people that made this transition before.

Even though I went to college back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth, I can relate.

You are NOT alone!

Starting out a new year is stressful. Leaving home and moving into and out of the dorms every year is stressful.

You may not have any financial pressures (lucky you) but you do have a lot of stress and pressure and all that can definitley add up to depression. Anticipation of the coming year’s work and demands can kinda freak you out.

My advice to you is to take it one day at a time. Don’t become obsessed with how down you feel, but if you feel sad all the time, do go to student health and ask for help.

Try to get involved in campus life as fully as your academic load will allow. Sports events, concerts, community volunteering, clubs.

Organize your work, make a study schedule and stick to it. It really does take the pressure off. It allows you to pay full attention to the tasks at hand .Then schedule in your fun time! By sticking to a study plan, you can take time off for concerts, parties, etc, with a clear conscience because you know your work is done.

Make some memories, do your work, have some fun.

Good luck!

Edit: Rachel, you are wise beyond your years!

Wow, I felt the same way. I was so homesick for most of my time in college, even though I was only an hour away from home. I’m now 25 and living 40 minutes away from home, and I still get a little homesick. But I’ve made some amazing friends who make this place feel a little more like home. Get involved in activities at your school, or even near your school: book club, maybe a Bible club if you’re into that, study groups, sports teams, exercise classes, etc. Don’t make the same mistake I did for 3 years and basically shut myself off as soon as class was over. I had people knock on my door to hang out and I’d lower the TV and pretend I wasn’t there. I regret it now because I missed out on possibly forming some great friendships, but sometimes I was so homesick I just wanted to be alone. Little did I know then that it made things worse. Once I finally opened up my senior year, things got so much better. Anyway, hang in there! It’ll be over before you know it!

It might be time to consider a major switch, meaning switch your major in college. What you’re going through now is called failing adaptation. As a person goes through increasing levels of stress and difficulty, they can get stronger and fight harder to respond, which is what you did when you studied hard and prepared well. But when the stress and difficulty get to be too much a person can respond by shutting down, which is what I think is happening to you now. Your depression is another one of those painful but valuable feelings that’s telling you something needs to change. You can’t just keep banging your head against this wall like this. It’s not working and a part of you knows it. You need a time out to look at and access things. The summer is coming up. That’ll be a great time to do this. Think about things like how badly you want to be a nurse? What’s the likelyhood you’re ever going to do well in this field? The fact you do well in your humanities classes may be telling you something. Maybe you can get private tutoring and take another crack at it next year. Maybe study groups can help, rather than trying to do the homework on your own. Don’t give up on nursing until your ready to give up on it. But if and when you’re ready just quit and don’t look back. It’s your life and your decision. But once again, your depression is telling you that you need to stop and take an inventory of your feelings and situation. Something has to change. I’m not saying what that change should be. But SOMETHING has to change. Think about things. Accept realities. And make a decision about how you want to go foward. I know you have a lot of talents. That photography of yours sure shows some promise. You seem to be into writing as well.

Yes. I was very depressed in college also. I have read more than once source that states college students have a larger number of depressed individuals than other populations.Our local university mental health center cannot keep up with the requests for services. Although college may seem like it’s a time that should be the best of your life, you’re away from home (often for the first time being away for an extended period), possibly unsure of what you want to do with your life, seperated from the people you grew up with and went to school with, and often pressured to succeed by parents or yourself. It is very easy to be lonely and depressed, especially in a huge school. You’re just another face. Even the instructors consider you just another student number. And your cast into a tiny living space with someone or someones you don’t know.

Try to find some clubs or activities in line with your interests. Be sure and give yourself a break from the desk and take advantage of the athletic facilities. Exercise is great for depression. Re-consider your options. Can you move closer to home and commute to a school? Take community college classes?

Try to get an appointment with your student mental health center (despite my comment about the overburdened one near me!). A good counselor can help you weigh your options and set both short and long-term goals. Good luck.

I can completely relate to this. I was pretty depressed for most of the beginning of my college years. I didn’t like being away from home and I had a hard time meeting people because I’m not super outgoing. I found that joining things helped somewhat. Even if they didn’t immediately lead to great friendships, it gave me something other than classes to do.

I also found that sometimes getting away from campus really helped. I would go to movies (by mself, which at first I thought was lame but got over) and join non-university activities. I took a knitting class at a local craft store and that was something that led me to meet some people.

Eventually, I also got a pet which also helped. If you’re in a dorm, you probably can’t get a particularly furry pet but I think sometimes having another living creature helps you feel less alone.

Anyway, try not to feel so alone. I think lots of people have difficult times in college.

Good luck 🙂

Feeling lonely when you are one in 25,000 does not sound odd to me. You should do some things that will make you feel connected. Reaching out here is certainly one of those things. Good for you! When I feel lonely I try to phone at least three to five people. Do you have some folks you can call? How about some upbeat music? Dance around. Be foolish. Have fun. When you get back to school consider joining a student club to help you feel connected to a smaller group. Good luck!

Well I have never had my parents help me pay for college and I am 28 and struggle to go to college and pay for it myself. Maybe you should just be grateful for what you have!