Is leaving college for a year a good idea?

I have been thinking of leaving my current college for a while. I also have talked to many people and have heard mixed reviews. So I have turned to the people of the internet.

I used to be this motivated student who loved learning new things and going to classes but lately, I am not as motivated as before. I also have been struggling with anxiety and depression for quite sometimes now. I have been taking meds, which help me a bit but all I can think is that I want to leave for a little while. I was looking into volunteering for UNICEF or something similar.

Someone also suggested that maybe I should transfer school and if I were to, I would like to do it before I have some time off.

Also, I am a freshman.

To those who have similar problems, please help.

“I used to be this motivated student who loved learning new things and going to classes but lately, I am not as motivated as before”

I feel the same way. I used to be motivated, but this semester it seems that I just can’t focus on my studies. Though I’ve always procrastinated a little bit, it seems that this semester I’ve procrastinated 10× as much as usual. Most of the day instead of doing homework or studying I repeatedly check emails and research miscellaneous topics like am I cut out for my major, should I drop out of college, do I have a mental illness, and etc. It could be partly because of taking only 12 credits this semester, but I feel the bigger reason is that I’m realizing that regardless of my ability to pass classes towards my major (which are becoming increasingly harder and I might even fail one or more classes this semester if I keep going like this) there’s a very good chance that I will not be able to apply what I learn in college to the real world due to both not being smart enough and being too anxious, and I worry that I will be wasting both my time and money if I continue to work towards a career that I will not be successful in.

Though I’m still wondering whether I should leave college like you, I feel like good advice is to contact an advisor if you haven’t already (that’s what I’m thinking about doing but not very sure how to approach the subject or what type of advisor to talk to) and to have a plan (how will you pay back the loans if you have taken any loans? What will you do after leaving college? etc.).

Whatever you decide, I hope you do what’s best for you.

Please don’t research whether or not you have a mental illness on the Internet, make an appointment at your campus counseling center and request an assessment. If you have a diagnosed mental health disorder you may be able to get a medical leave of absence, taking time to get treatment and figure out what you want to do next without having to make a quick decision. The recommendation to see an advisor is also wise.

Also, no matter what you decide, try to bring the grades up in your current courses. Do whatever it takes, academic support services, tutorials, office hours etc. Doing as well as you can will be best for your future if you end up wanting to transfer.

Just a general rule: people of the internet are rarely going to give you the best advice.

I think that you should definitely consider transferring schools if you think the school itself is an issue, but if this is a mental health problem I would go to counseling before I made any big decisions.

Personally, I wouldn’t suggest taking a year off without an academic/career reason, especially as a freshman. What are you going to do during that year you’re away? If it’s nothing insanely productive, I’d say stay in school. It’s a lot harder to get back into college life after taking time off than it is to just take it all in the first time around, and some people take the year off and never go back.