It’s my first semester at my uni and it hasn’t been going well. I have no friends and I am not alright mentally. Should I just leave and give myself time or try to make things work out?
Go to university counseling tomorrow. Get some sleep tonight and watch Netflix.
You are definitely not alone and it’s completely ok to talk to someone professionally. It’s very common at this point of first semester to feel this way. But if it’s more than that there is help available. School can wait.
“Go to university counseling tomorrow.”
Exactly correct.
What you are feeling is relatively common. Going to university is a huge transition. There are counselors at your school (and pretty much every school) who are there specifically to help you.
We don’t have enough information to advise you. You should definitely make an appointment with your advisor and the counseling office.
Are your grades good or are they pretty bad? How much money would you and your family lose if you left now? How do your parents feel about the situation? What steps have you taken to try and improve your situation thus far?
If you leave, how do you plan to support yourself, recognizing that parental support might (and possibly should) end once you are no longer pursuing your education?
Your health should come first, but if you’ve done nothing to try and help yourself out of the situation, it may be hasty to just give up. Adjusting to college life can be difficult but odds are the school - and your parents - want you to succeed, and there may be supports in place if you reach out.
DO NOT JUST WALK AWAY
Sorry to shout but the urge to run can be strong, and you will just make massive problems for yourself down the road if you do. However hard things seem now, hand on heart, it will be harder if you just leave.
As the others have said, go to the counseling center immediately. This is a busy time at college counseling centers (you are definitely not the only one struggling with the transition to uni, plus first midterms are coming up), so take the first appointment and KEEP IT even if you have to wait and even if you are feeling ok on the day of the appointment. Make it clear to the counselor that you are feeling as if you need to just leave now. Don’t assume that they will just ‘know’ - make sure you say out loud, very clearly, what you are thinking/feeling. Be open to suggestions, but also be honest about how you are feeling.
If going still looks like the best option ask about how a medical withdrawal works. It makes a big, big difference in what your choices are later.
Go to counseling center and find out more about your actual mental status by allowing a professional to screen you before making any decision to leave. Do the best you can academically in the meantime. Talk to your parents and ask for their help too.
@jac1994 , just in case you need one more person to convince you, I agree with the previous responses. Don’t walk away yet. See a counselor and your advisor. Wait a while longer – at least through the semester and I’d suggest wait until the entire first year is over.
Your world is growing and changing. Often, that feels uncomfortable. I have no doubt you can get through this part and begin thriving soon.
Stick with it.
All this advice is excellent. Also many college counseling centers have “drop-in” hours when you are guaranteed to see someone. As another poster said, be very honest about how you are feeling. You can always make notes to take with you: have you been sleeping? Too much or not enough? Are you able to enjoy things? Stuff like that. Do some self reflection if you think there is any chance that you might feel blank when you talk to another person.