I’m currently a sophomore in college. I have been at my university a month now. And I just want to go home. It’s not that I don’t like the school, I do. I’m just sick and tired of every day feeling like Groundhog Day. I just wake up, go to class, do homework, work. Rinse and repeat. I feel like I have barely any time to work on myself or enjoy myself. I can’t even work enough to start accumulating money because I feel like school dictates my life. I understand that this is life or that I’ll have to deal with this when I have a job. But I’m honestly miserable. I plan on speaking to a counselor or something, but I don’t think it’s going to help my desire to go home.
I’m only posting here because I feel so lost and I guess I just need advice. I honestly just feel so sad.
I think speaking to a counselor will help a lot more than you might think. They will be able to help you isolate the things that are making you sad, and see if it’s really your everyday routine. I got really sad in college—felt like everyone my age (including me) was terminally self-absorbed and useless). I fixed it by becoming more useful, studying abroad, and changing some of my friends!
Do you have helpful, sympathetic, supportive family or close friends? Call one of them, preferably a parent or older sib, or aunt or uncle. This sounds like depression. There is SO much that can be done to help you! It will get better, I promise.
If you have absolutely no one to whom you think you can reach out, walk into student health, get an immediate appointment today, to be seen this afternoon. Go. Now. They will help you.
I’m sorry to hear you’re feeling this way. I would strongly urge you to speak with a counselor, good friends, and family members. If you’re not able to speak to someone, other resources are available.
What would you be doing at home to work on yourself or have fun? What would make you happier being at home?
Is there a possibility of dropping a course to give you more time for yourself? Could you catch up taking a course or two this summer online or at a CC?
Still the same college as in February, when you were thinking of transferring out?
Is the problem that you are trying to take too many credits, or that you have a hard time keeping up grades, or that you have to work your way through college, so that there is no “leisure time”?
Many students will be able to find time each day, and certainly each week, to enjoy the company of your friends and partake in activities - thus balancing out academic life and giving you a chance to recharge. Of course, if there’s also economic pressure, it complicates matters.
And replace it with something fun - choir, pickleball, Habitat for humanity, rock climbing, yoga, cooking classes, volunteering at a nearby elementary school? All of this matters since that’s how you develop skills and experiences you’ll need.
What made you choose this college in the 1st place?
If the college didnt deliver, would you be able to find an affordable college for the Spring?
One of mine took a leave (medical issue) and went back. One of mine (depression) left after a month of sophomore year, worked, did community college while working, and then finished at age 30 at a degree completion program. Both are fine.
If you are depressed, it is okay to take a leave or even withdraw and get treatment and/or change your situation. But as others have said, I would first try counseling and try to stay.
I think leaving also depends on where you have to go to…
Some kids I know came home and did a direct certificate or associate’s degree to career like radiology technician, PT assistant etc. or a trade. Is there any type of job that interests you?
Being home would allow me to be with the ones I love because I’m currently out of state. Then I would have more time to actually focus on myself. Like working out, getting more money, etc. I thought about doing school online through my institution, but I don’t think they offer it. I’ll have to look into it more. I guess I’m just sick of the same thing over and over. I feel deeply sad. I never felt this way before. And I just want to cry all the time. That’s how miserable I am.
Well, I want to be in school to be a lawyer or counselor. I’m willing to try seeing a therapist before making a rash decision, but there’s not necessarily anything wrong with the school. I just feel trapped, sad, defeated. I feel like every day is on repeat. I would consider going to community college or something. But I don’t want to keep hopping around. I just don’t want to screw over my future goals because I’m determined and I know I can finish school. But I just want to be home and have a life.
This sounds like more than sad and this sounds like more than simply going home will fix. This sounds like depression and that needs treatment. There is good treatment available - it can involve both therapy and medication. Both can be literally life-changing. Please reach out to your health care provider and ask them to screen you for depression and make an appropriate referral. The sooner you do this, the sooner you will be back to feeling like your old self, either at college or at home, wherever you feel you need to be.
Honestly, I just can’t even enjoy life. Every day it’s school, homework, work, rinse and repeat. It just feels like it never ends. I can’t even work on myself because I’m basically trapped to my school. I just feel so miserable. And I’ve been so sad and wanting to cry.
I like the school, my major, etc etc. I just am sick of the same thing every day.
I’ve never had depression in my entire life. And I never felt this way my freshman year. Every day I think about how I’m stuck here another 2 years. Same thing every day. And I just don’t even want to think about it. I feel like I’m not even living life
I honestly do believe me being away from home and just being trapped in this cycle of the same thing has me feeling this way. Because when I go home, I’m so happy.
If you feel like you have to go home to be okay and seek treatment, do it. You are worth it, and you deserve loving people around you to help you through this period. It will get better.
Go home! You can take a medical leave if you see a therapist who can document your depression. If you take a leave, you can return versus withdrawing entirely, though if it is a medical leave, you may have to meet certain requirements to go back- not necessarily hard.
Medication can be enormously helpful for how you are feeling, but it can take time to get the right one and the right dose. My kid did well on Lexapro. Total turnaround. But counseling should accompany it.
Do you think you are homesick? I am glad you feel happy at home. But once you feel relief at being home again, you will face dilemmas about what to do going forward, so rely on a counselor if you can.
There are many college programs you can do from home online. Our state U has online programs. Lesley has an online adult learner program for kids who have left. BU has a good one. There are many.
There are also schools like Goddard where you are on campus 10 days/month.
You will figure it out but first, get treatment via meds and counseling! You can leave in a way that is not irrevocable and decide from there, in time, if you want to go back or want another path.
I would really like to stay with my institution. I will see a counselor to work this out as soon as possible.
I have had some hormonal/health issues going on. I wonder if it’s all correlated. So I will see a regular doctor about this. I want to go home. And I’d rather be home and work on myself and my plan. Then do this another 2 years.
