It's my first year at University. I am a general engineering student with my life out in front of me. Yet, the pressure of college often has me feeling down despite the growing and blossoming career I have.

As a freshman, we enter college with hopes and desires. We hear the words of encouragement, and also the downfalls of those who dropped out their first year. "It's harder than high school" is heard years before we even begin. We don't believe them. As I had a 4.0 GPA in high school and was 6th in my class, I never thought I'd struggle. But I have. College is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Not just the classes, homework, exams and studying; but the life changes that come along with college. Many college students experience mental health problems that increase with these large life changes.

Not being around my friends, my parents, my dog, or my now ex-boyfriend. Moving in and going away from all those I cared about put me in a whirlwind of emotions and put me in one of the worst depressions I've ever had to face. This isn't just my story, but the story that thousands of other college students share across the nation. We're often such in a rush to get to our dream college that we don't take time to also slow down, appreciate the life changes and our great future ahead.

Despite any grief, or damage to our mental health we must push through, seek out help and build a support system around us. I now have friends on campus, and it's made the entire transition to college life much easier. I'm no longer sitting alone in my dorm room, eating lunch alone and having little human interaction. I am now involved in clubs, I attend college events on campus and I have a loving support group of friends to help me with any bumps in the road.

All in all, the first year is the hardest. Your whole life is changing, but as someone still going through it; it gets better.