Dear Cyclones,

As was encouraged in the other editorial titled “Despite academic stress, prioritize yourself,” make sure you’re keeping track of all aspects of your health.

I’ve enjoyed college, but I’ll admit that I wasn’t at all prepared for the way it impacted me personally at various points in time. I remember having a particularly rough semester last year and seeing how it leaked into other areas of my life. I noticed that I lost energy/drive, that I was taking it out on those around me—mostly myself—and that my grades suffered. Experiences like these have the potential to snowball due to regrets that arise later and just not knowing how to handle the situation.

In my opinion, being a college student (especially an upperclassman) is one of the hardest stages in life because it’s deemed as the point in time when ‘real life’ begins (i.e., internships, prestigious jobs, romantic milestones, grad/professional school acceptances, etc.). It’s very easy to constantly compare yourself to others on a college campus because you’re in such close proximity to people walking the same walk as you. I think this is the reason why so many students don’t realize how isolated they feel before it’s too late…because self-comparison is a highly subconscious act.

If you’re not careful, your college experience can quickly become a breeding ground for feelings of inadequacy, failure, unworthiness, and anything else along those lines. This is dangerous, especially for those who may already struggle with their mental health. It’s even more toxic because college is a place where everyone seems to put up a front that screams “I’m fine / I’m thriving / college was the best 4 years of my life” 24/7. The intention of the previous statement is not to knock people who may truly feel this way about their experience, but is to instead show why individuals who are struggling don’t feel like they can talk about it. Because the concept of not being fine when you’re in college seems taboo, shameful, or like an indicator that something is wrong with them. The majority seems to be enjoying this…why am I not? Am I just an all-around ungrateful person for not savoring this privilege of an opportunity that my family worked so hard for?

As I mentioned in the beginning, it’s important to prioritize self-care and to not be so hard on yourself, which of course is easier said than done. But hopefully it’s a work in progress for most of you. Remember that everyone has their own path.

To anyone looking for more on this topic, here’s the article that inspired me to write this piece: https://www.independent.co.uk/student/istudents/mental-health-in-students-freshers-week-2016-getting-help-for-depression-anxiety-stress-at-a7324901.html.