When I first arrived at college I was so excited to be there and nothing seemed to be slowing me down. But, like so many other times in my life, I knew not everyone viewed the experience the same way I did. I had been on my own before in sleep away camps and had been left home alone plenty of times, but what I observed in a few people around me was something far worse than homesickness. After coming from a small-town high school, I was being exposed to behaviors that I had never seen before.

Maybe it was the obsessive drinking that college brought. Maybe it was the hook-up culture. Or maybe it was just the way people dealt with academic struggles. Any way you tried to spin it, this wasn’t homesickness, this was depression.

One thing that I was positive would swoop in and save the day was the renowned CAPS program. CAPS stands for Counseling and Psychological Services where you could get several free sessions per semester. But one thing that was not advertised is that you had to make an appointment several weeks in advance because walk-ins were only for emergencies. And I believe it was this fact that failed so many. When you are feeling depressed it is very hard to be left alone with your thoughts. Feelings of worthlessness often eat away at you and waiting weeks for help to come may be just be too late.

So that’s why I think it happened. During my first semester in college–when I was suppose to be having the time of my life–one student committed suicide. It was shocking to hear that, amidst my meeting of new people and exploration of a world totally different than the one I lived in for 18 years, someone in this new environment felt so sad that suicide was the only answer.

The best thing I can let you know if you are depressed is that you are not alone. In this life, no one is alone. I had several friends confide in me how they felt. While I’m not therapist, I am a friend, and those are the ones in your life you can tell everything to.

And even if there comes a moment when you feel like there is no one to talk to, there is. There is always someone to talk to. 1-800-273-TALK can be an amazing resource as you can speak to someone anonymously about any experiences you’ve been having for any reason whatsoever.

While this severe act of depression on our campus was highly upsetting, what amazed me was how the entire vibe of the school changed and suddenly mental health groups began to have a giant presence on campus. Groups like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or Active Minds that pledged to help curb depression on campus and better the student body. SAPHE (Sexual Aggression Peer Hotline and Education) began having campaigns on campus for victims of rape, sexual abuse, or sexual assault that felt as if they had no one else to turn to.

This sudden change in the world I only recently witnessed showed me how helpful and determined students were to make sure no one on campus ever felt forgotten and that no one’s voice was unheard.

I hope you know that your life is valuable and you are never insignificant. Everyone in this world is important and remember…