<p>I'm currently concluding my freshman year at Vassar College (Poughkeepsie, NY) and am unsure of whether I should transfer next fall. I hadn't dealt with depression until I got to college, and my anxiety (both social and generalized) was manageable at home so that it didn't interfere with my relationships with friends or my schoolwork. I began college as a member of the women's field hockey team, which I disliked and quit and the end of the season. Because my heart really wasn't into field hockey, I had difficulty connecting with the members of the team (I also have trouble making friends in general due to my social anxiety), and therefore, when the season ended in early November, I found myself without many friends at all. I couldn't attend much of orientation due to my sports schedule, so I was essentially two months behind most of the other freshmen. Though I've met some very nice people, especially during second semester, my struggles with depression and anxiety have hindered my relationships. I feel as though I haven't met anyone I really care about and I feel almost no attachment to Vassar itself. I have been told that freshman year is hard for many people and that I should wait out my unhappiness until I return the next year to see if anything will change, but I don't know when to throw in the towel and decide that enough's enough. I am so, so very unhappy at school, though I don't know if some of that extreme discontent is due to the depression. If anyone has dealt with similar situations or has any advice to offer at all, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!</p>
<p>If you post this on the parents’ forum, you’ll get a lot of good advice from ppl who either experienced this themselves in college or went through it w their kids. I will say that the first year of college can be the most difficult. I’d recommend seeking some help at vassar’s counseling center, and speaking to your parents about this so that maybe you can seek some therapy this summer to deal with your depression and anxiety before school begins in the fall.</p>