Going Away to College

Going away to college is a pivotal moment in a young adult’s life. Your entire life is ahead of you. You move into a dorm and out of your parent’s house for the first time. You really start thinking about your future and what you want to do with your life. You pick a major or an area of study. You have the opportunity to meet people from all over the country and from other countries. Your world becomes so much bigger in such a short span of time. This is it. This is the beginning of the rest of your life. Freedom!

The experience is incredibly exciting, but it can also be equally as stressful for young people. For most, this is the first time you have been away from home for an extended period. This is the first time you are required to be fully responsible for yourself. In the past, your parents may have been there to observe or manage much of your life. Did you do your homework? Did you throw your dirty clothes in the wash? What did you eat today? While it can be freeing to not have your parents looking over your shoulder, it can be overwhelming to take on the responsibility of caring for yourself.

Looking back on my own undergrad experience about ten years ago, I can say for a fact I never practiced any form of self-care during the first two years of my education. My lack of self-care caught up with me. While I maintained perfect grades, my health was an issue. I had relapsed in my eating disorder, and I found myself at risk of being sent home due to my health. My university gave me the option of attending counseling at their counseling center in hopes that I could get back to a healthy weight.

I was angry at the time. I thought I was managing everything fine. I wanted to do this on my own. I am an adult now. Why couldn’t I do this? However, I had no choice, so I returned to counseling. It was the best decision that was ever made for me. With the help of my counselor, I got back to a healthy state. My counselor and I explored my anxiety together and she taught me many ways to manage it in enjoyable and productive ways.

If you are a student going away to college or at college, do not be afraid to ask for help. Your story may be very different from mine, but most colleges and universities have counseling centers that are free for students to attend. Your attendance is confidential. College counselors are very in tune with the college experience and are trained to help you navigate this time in your life. They can offer self-care techniques, explore the stress and anxiety you may be experiencing, are there to talk about a traumatic event that may have occurred while at school, can help create good study practices, and can assist in helping you create structure in this new chapter of your life. Yes, you are an adult. Part of being an adult is knowing when to ask for help.

If you would like to speak to a professional counselor or psychologist about this and are in the Chicago area, please feel free to contact Olive Branch Counseling Associates, Inc. at 708-633-8000. We are located at 6819 West 167^th Street in Tinley Park, Illinois 60477.

Written By: Hillary R., Masters Level Intern 2023

Sources

Kumaraswamy, N. (2013). Academic stress, anxiety and depression among college students: A brief review. International review of social sciences and humanities, 5(1), 135-143.