Currently I am at an art school. The work load is horrendus and I am taking 6 classes now. I am in my first semester and I have been reall stressed out lately. I have cried so many times simce sxhool started and my depression has come back. I find it so hard to get out of the bed everyday especially on the weekend. I had so much hw and yet I am waiting till today to do it. I am not sure if I need to take a break from school, transfer or what. I don’t wanto to damage my mental health more than kt already is by going to my school, bit I don’t know what I would do if I wasnt going there. I am just really tired of staying up everynight and making art work I hate. What should I do? I’m scared for the future?
Does your school have a counseling center? Go first thing tomorrow (today if possible) and make an appointment. Go see your academic advisor right away, immediately, and explain that you are struggling. Can you drop a course or two? 6 is excessive. Four is common. I don’t know if art school has professor hours like regular college, but ask to meet with the prof and get more guidance on how to approach the work. If you have missed the deadline, get a diagnosis from a doctor because you might be able to get a retroactive medical withdrawal due to depression or exhaustion.
Part of the issue too is that going to art school isn’t just about you getting to create only art that you like. Just like kids in regular colleges, you are going to have to do plenty of stuff you don’t want to do, so work on managing your expectations. As a freshman, you will have to get through the boring stuff before you get to do more of what you want to do.
Please call your parents and explain how you feel. Ask them to help you find an off campus therapist if you have no luck getting help on campus. You will get through this, but you have to be proactive. Your first steps, apart from getting mental health care, is to get rid of two classes if you can. What’s happening right now isn’t sustainable. Good luck.
Thanka for yoyr advice. I have already spoken to some counselors on campus. And i understand that I have to take classes I do not want to take. The reason why I am taking six is because it is required each semster there to take 16-18 credits which is ridiculous. I talked to my psychiatrist and I am on medication right now and I am looking for an oitside thereapist. My dad wanted me to take a leave and my mom wanted me tk push through till the first year. I want to push through till the summer, but school has talen such a mental toll on me that sometimes I have suicidal thoughts amd it doesnt help that i have a 40 minute commute everyday. I am just tired of being constantly tired and I am wondering after my first year if I don’t like it there if i should transfer.
Is it possible that art school isn’t a good fit for you? What will be different if you transfer to another art school? What about a regular college with a strong art program where you could major in something else and minor in art? Or even major in art at a regular four year college. I don’t know about art majors, but at regular four year colleges, students typically take four classes. Yes, maybe you need to transfer, but please talk through all the options with a counselor, academic advisor, and your parents.