Have you ever been a large, crowded room full of people and felt desperately and utterly alone? In a sense, you know that you are definitely not alone, you're in a room full of people wandering around you. But even with all of these people nearby, you feel alone. If you left the room, no one would notice or care that you had left. These people don't know or care about you. You're a face in the crowd to them.
Okay, so next question. Have you ever been in a room of people you know, love, and care about, yet still feel kind of alone? Which, once again, kind of doesn't make sense because A. You're in a room full of people, and B. These people actually matter to you, and at least some of them care about you too. But once again, you are left with an indescribable loneliness that can make your heart hurt, and make you feel utterly depressed. Which can be the exact problem. You're depressed, or have depression, maybe anxiety; let's be real, there could be a plethora of reasons and none of them make you feel any better about yourself. You have a low sense of self esteem, you feel insignificant next to others, and it can be especially true about the people you car about and admire the most. Constantly comparing yourself to them, wishing people looked at you the way they look at your friends.
Being college aged, 18-20 something, can be pretty rough. You're thrown into a whole new world, with all new freedoms and decisions to make. It can be exciting, and you meet so many new and wonderful people, but it can also make you feel small and insignificant. You lose sight of your own self worth, getting caught up in others and wanting to fit in. It's hard. It's really hard. Trust me, I know. I've been there, time and time again.
But here's what I want you to take away from this. It's okay to want to fit in, and it's okay to be scared sometimes. But what is not okay, is not being able to see what amazing things you bring to the world. If you are struggling, and you feel all alone, then you need to seek help. There are always places you can go too seek help, and people who are willing to help you. Counseling is available on campus, and if you live in the dorms, you can always talk to an RA. I know it's scary, but getting help is so important, and the beginning of the school year can be rough. Remember, my friends, you're worth it and you are loved.
