The life of a college student is nowhere near easy. Trust me, I know. The Instagram photos of the parties scenes expressing laughs and “fun” moments are just a mask covering the many struggles college students face. In reality, the “party scene” plays out 2-3 days out of the week. The other 4-5 days are devoted to classes, homework, studying, jobs, job searching, extracurriculars, sports and not ourselves as human beings.
It becomes so easy to get lost these days in the giant list of things to do that we forget to make time for ourselves and our mental health. Stress can take a terrible toll on our well being and the late nights without sleep begin to creep up on us. A recent report in the New York Times, explains that cases of anxiety in college students have significantly increased and now there are more American teens facing anxiety than ever. The number has continuously grown in the last seven years making anxiety more common than depression among teens.
The Higher Education Research Institute at U.C.L.A has surveyed college freshmen every year since 1985. In the survey, students are asked if they feel overwhelmed by all that they have to do. In 1985, 18% of students said that they indeed feel overwhelmed. This past year that percentage increased to 41% of students saying yes. According to the New York Times, this increase in anxiety also has to do with the newfound awareness of the mental disease. There are ways in which everyone can cope with anxiety disorders, and, facing the truth that you have a problem is the biggest hurdle to jump over. But, there are ways to help yourself.
1. You need to seek help.
Visit the counselling and psychological center on your campus. It is so very important to seek mental help when needed and not to feel ashamed of visiting your campus counselling center. It is there for a reason, and it is there to help you. Just having someone to talk to that you know can’t judge you truly make all the difference.
2. Get off social media all the time.
There are constant stresses and pressures for college students. The desire to succeed and do well in the world has become the biggest pressure of them all, and growing up in a digital age where everything you do is put all over the internet does not help anxiety. Instagram is great to post fun pictures of what you are doing but it is also really great at getting to your head and causing you to compare yourself to others. This just adds extra stress making you prone to anxiety.