Agree. That was what I suggested in a very similar situation a few months ago. But, the real issue is OP’s mental & emotional health and the need for continued counseling or the presence of family & a support group.
Lots of speculation about finances, housing, course credits. The answers are important.
Op’s mental health issues are being addressed currently at the LAC. There is no particular reason, other than speculation, to assume they would be any better at USC.
Well OP is certainly not getting better at the LAC.
OP wrote: “Literally I only get severe depression and anxiety when I am back at this school.”
I think that the difference is that I believe OP.
The OP definitely needs a change of location. I encourage posters to reread OP’s original post in this thread.
I’d like to see USC arise for you on even terms, in the sense that it becomes affordable and you can foresee graduating on schedule. However, with a transfer to USC, would you really be attending your “dream school” when the program most associated with it nationally (cinema studies) would not be available to you?
Let’s face it, the OP’s self-evaluation is very troubling and it makes giving him the proper advice very problematic.
You and I are on the same page.
Of course OP thinks a change of location would solve his problems, the relevant question is, is that objectively true? Or would those problems likely continue and be added to with a new set of concerns? His therapist is probably the best judge of that.
Great points.
If OP has SAD (seasonal affective disorder), the change of location will help.
Also, OP is a POC at a school with a low percentage of POCs and OP is being shunned by other students at the LAC.
Additionally, OP is in a community with a very small number of LGBTQ students which is a stated concern of OP.
Plus, if transferring is in OP’s best interests, would the LAC school therapist be open & direct about that or would the therapist be concerned about his/her standing with the LAC ?
Your stated goal of continuing with film, and the reasons for your interest in psychology, lead me to fall on the side of staying at the LAC. You are not a film studies major at USC but are able to pursue film and psychology where you are.
Have you heard the term “geographic cure”? Many people move to a different location in hopes of being happier. It rarely works. And changing schools may involve some psychic stress, along with possible higher costs and issues with transferring credits.
I think you can work with your therapist on ways to improve your mental health where you are. It is not certain that things will be better in terms of mood, at USC, and coming in as a junior may actually make things worse. If you were a rising sophomore, I might feel a little less certain.
A smallish LAC can indeed be a fish bowl and your social identity may feel kind of frozen. Try to get off campus and on-campus, maybe try to get to know a few new people.
Are you on any medication for depression?
To sum up: It is actually a great life skill to stay where you are and try to make it work. You can concentrate on your academic and artistic interests, maybe get off campus for some activities, expand your social contacts and consider medication.
But, this could be very dangerous advice depending upon the state of OP’s mental & emotional well being.
OP feels much better when in California then when in the dreary, overcast northeast.
A therapist cannot be counted on to cure one’s psychological or other challenges.
Coping skills are important, but this may be a case where coping is an inadequate band-aid. We just do not know. OP’s cries for help seem real & genuine & very concerning to me.
P.S. I cannot reply any more in this thread as others need to chime in. My thoughts are clear. If anyone wants to get a response from me, then please ask via PM–although I have shared my thoughts thoroughly already.
Nor can a move. Better chances of a cure with a trained therapist.
Tens of millions of people live in the Northeast and manage to cope with the weather just fine. It can be something one learns.
I have spent my whole life in the Northeast. It is not dreary and overcast for the most part. I mean, yes, there are some cloudy or rainy days, just as there are everywhere. Last winter it snowed significantly twice.
I think it is important to know whether the OP has tried medication, or alternative modalities like meditation or Tai Chi. Light therapy in the winter may help too.
If film is the OP’s passion, and film is the reason for applying to USC, it is significant that the OP was not admitted to film at USC and as a rising junior, I don’t think that would change.
If mental health concerns are as dire as @Publisher feels, and we have no way to know, then a leave of absence would, I think, be better than changing schools, especially with any financial difference.
The pros listed for the LAC are really compelling. The cons are mostly social. Most LAC’s in the Northeast are fairly liberal and diversity has increased in recent years. I really believe that overcoming the social depression might help the OP in the future, and fleeing to another campus as a new student halfway through, and not in the desired department, doesn’t promise any change.
ps these new “reply” options can be awkward. @Pubilsher I was only addressing you concerning the weather- the rest is a general reply!
Also how much of a factor was COVID for your experience at the LAC? This forum has many posts about anxiety and depression during the past 18 months and so many don’t mention COVID, but it turns out to be a major factor.
Great advice has been given. If you stay at the LAC, I wonder if (besides study abroad) you could look for social connections by volunteering outside the school and in the community. People are always happy to have volunteers!
Realizing that you need to sort out your immediate issues first, I would just gently echo the poster upthread who suggested thinking about jobs/careers that make more money than the “starving artist” path. If you come from a family without a lot of resources, you don’t have much of a safety net. When times are tough (personally, or societally) having a safety net is critical, and can literally be a matter of life or death. Consider pursuing something that sets you up with some security first. I took my own advice btw, happy to share, but this isn’t about me so spared you the details.
You are so articulate and write so well, I know you will go far.
This student is not a freshman (it’s not uncommon for first year students to struggle). As a parent, it is extremely painful to hear that your child has severe depression and anxiety when on campus, and that they cry themself to sleep at night. Mental health impacts everything.
If my child said this to me after two years on campus, I would seriously consider transferring and taking time off to focus on mental health.
However, one caution is that a different venue, such as the local community around the college, may not necessarily be any more friendly to the student than the college for the reasons the student mentioned. The same can apply to some study abroad locations or some other colleges.
Taking time off can work for middle class kids with good health insurance, ample resources and a supportive family to help ensure an eventual return to college. For others, it is a risky proposition.
I agree with you- I was not thinking. That being said, this school doesn’t seem right for this particular student.
Kids can get health insurance through parents or through the ACA. When my kids took time off, they worked.
Totally agree that the OP is very articulate, self-aware. excellent analytical thinker and writer. It is easy to see why the OP has been admitted to a top LAC and to USC.
I once read that 50% of students at Harvard sought mental health help. If a student is not suicidal and/or hurting themselves, often staying the course with treatment works out. Only the OP and therapist can evaluate the need for change, I think.