Feeling Anxious/Depressed Lately

college316
Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:04:22 +0000

It seems to me like you need to be willing to put yourself out there and ask for help from some people at your university–a counseling office, RA, upperclassman that you trust, etc. They have all been there before and more likely than not, have dealt with the same issues.

One thing that helped for me was setting specific study times. For instance, if I have all of Tuesday to study, I tell myself I’ll study from 9-noon, eat lunch, study for 2 more hours, go to the gym with people, etc. Exercise (especially with your friends) does wonders for your health and sanity–I would highly recommend it. Huge days of doing nothing but studying decreases your productivity and just makes you feel really bad about yourself.

Also, it seems like your study skills could use some honing. You shouldn’t have to study all hours of the day. If you purposely picked a major (engineering) with a heavy workload, you might want to consider switching, because college offers amazing opportunities and when you look back in ten years, you want to remember the people who became a part of your life and the experiences you had together, not your grade on that one exam. I’m not saying you should “wimp out”, just that you should realistically look at your study skills and see if your major is a good fit for you. Keep in mind that if things are this hard freshman year, as you get into more upper-level classes, they will likely get even more difficult.

Also, homesickness will decrease as you build a stronger support system at school. Consider joining clubs–athletics, religious, social action, etc.–to meet people outside of your floor and get to know some upperclassmen. I don’t know if you’re into the Greek system but that is also a good way to bond with other students, who might be able to give you some tips on finding a better balance between your academic and social lives.