Freshman year is a time of stress and change for college students. It certainly was for me. You miss your family and friends, you live with someone you don't know, and college classes are just hard. All of this exacerbated a preexisting depression. I had breakdowns, I felt hopeless; and now I'm a Junior and I'm still battling my depression everyday. And I'm not alone. According to Healthline, 44% of college students have suffered the symptoms of depression. Here are 10 things you can do everyday to ease those symptoms*.
*DISCLAIMER: Not all people will present the same symptoms. This list will not cure depression or make it go away, it is simply intended to help someone make it through the week. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, seek help immediately.
1. Seek Help
Depression is a mental illness and it is treatable. Seeking help can be the hardest part and it certainly was for me. Seek out a counselor on campus or the help of your family doctor.
2. Get Sleep
This one is important and often overlooked. Not getting enough sleep can raise a person's stress and make it more challenging for them to function. Believe me, I know this is college and sleep can be a rare commodity, but making sure you get to bed at a decent time every night can make a huge difference in how your day goes.
3. Get up and Get Going
On the other hand, getting too much sleep can also make symptoms worse. I know for my bad days, it's almost impossible to get out of bed. Set an alarm (or two or three) and get yourself up and do anything, even if its small, right away.
4. Maintain Personal Hygiene
My grandmother once gave me some very important life advice: Get out of bed and take a shower, you'll feel better. Taking care of your body can help your mind feel good too. It can be as simple as making sure you shower everyday to exercising and eating healthy.
5. Baby Steps
The worst feeling in the world is when you have way too much on your plate. Make big tasks into smaller, bite sized chunks. Do little things. Make smaller sized goals. If it's a bad day and all you do is get up and change your clothes, that's fine. Taking baby steps is all you need to do to get through each day.
6. Reward the Little Things
After you take baby steps, it's important to reward the little things. On my bad days, I praise myself and celebrate the tiny things I get done. Even if all I manage to do is get to one class, or get one assignment done, or just take a shower - I remind myself that I did good things today. I was successful within my capabilities today.
7. Form a Support Group
This is often one of the hardest things to do. Telling friends and family, however, sets up people who can help keep you safe. They're people who you can talk to on bad days.
8. Plan Ahead and Have Structure
Make to-do lists and have a planner. Check things off when you finish them. Have a routine at bedtime and try to go to bed at that same time each night. Having structure in your life will make you feel like you have plan for every day. This will eliminate stress and anxiety and will help you be successful in the long run.
9. Find a Way to De-Stress
Find a healthy activity to de-stress yourself on bad days. This could be anything from taking a walk to watching a TV show. Find a creative activity, such as coloring or knitting.
10. Download the Booster Buddy app
Booster Buddy is a free app for your cell phone. It tracks how you are feeling and medications every day, has emergency contact information always available, and always you to create a unique coping strategy to help with symptoms ranging from anxiety to hallucinations to sleep problems. For more information on the app, click here. This app has completely changed my life!
And remember... 
