While college students face a range of challenges both in school and in their personal lives, a significant majority experience some form of mental health issue. Although many of us, myself included, have dealt with these issues for much of our lives, new responsibilities and expectations in college bring new challenges. Additionally, while disorders like anxiety and OCD are often misunderstood, I feel that these mental health conditions affect my life in ways that many might not expect. Given that these challenges aren’t uncommon, I think it’s important to share my experiences and the things I struggle with on a daily basis.Â
One challenge I face quite often is simply trying to study. While others are able to work efficiently with music, conversations, or other noise going on in the background, I find it nearly impossible. Even the slightest noise can be distracting, causing me to become hyper focused on everything that’s going on around me, which makes it very difficult to stay on task. As a result of this, I am often moving from place to place in search of the most silence (which is rare at a school with 40,000 students) just so I can get my work done. Although I have always preferred a quiet study space, this has only become a problem for me this past semester, which is why I can most often be found in the quiet wing of the library. Not only am I unable to participate in study groups with friends or listen to music while doing homework, this ends up adding a lot of extra stress to my life. I often worry about not being able to complete my assignments in a timely manner because I feel that so much of my time is spent trying to remain focused. Additionally, it is upsetting to me that I even struggle with this in spaces that are supposed to be calm and peaceful for me, like my dorm room or my bedroom at home, because those living with me do not understand.Â
Similarly, school can also be difficult for me because I feel as though each assignment I do has to be perfect. While every student’s goal is to always do their best work, with such busy lives we often have to pick and choose what is most important to focus on. This sometimes means allocating more time and energy to certain assignments or classes than others. However, I rarely feel as if I have that option. Regardless of my excellent support system of people who reassure me that I am doing great, my brain tells me that I am not doing enough. Despite the ultimate success I experience after pushing myself to do good on every assignment, this mindset takes away from many other aspects of my life such as my health, hobbies, and relationships. Furthermore, this often leads to a lack of motivation, as I tend to procrastinate on assignments I anticipate struggling with, knowing I won’t allow myself to finish until I feel that what I’ve done is perfect.
In addition, while I’m someone who’s always disliked change, lately even the smallest of changes tend to disrupt my peace. Each week, my daily schedule generally looks the same. I often eat the same foods, go to the same places, and center my life around plans and structure. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it often means unexpected changes to my plans add unnecessary stress and anxiety to my life, further causing me to resist change. Additionally, though I am content with my simple and structured life, I also know I am sometimes missing out on other life experiences because I am too focused on my routine.Â
As I mentioned previously, while anxiety and OCD are prevalent among college students, a true understanding of the challenges faced by those who experience them is rare. Despite facing these challenges every day, I still struggle to understand them myself. However, given the large number of college students affected by mental health issues, sharing these experiences is extremely important in order to foster empathy and understanding.