The mid(college)life crisis is an event that occurs when a college student thinks they have an idea of what they are doing in school and life, but then something happens that changes everything they previously believed. It will totally blindside you. One second you’re having a great time in the major you always dreamed of, then all of a sudden you hate every class you're in and are lost in a sea of indecisiveness.
There are multiple stages of the mid(college)life crisis. The first stage is doubt: you will begin to feel doubt about your course of study. You may also begin to question the career you had once thought was set in stone. Stage two is misery: you will start to hate your classes, and even the thought of school as a whole can make you feel miserable. This will bring you into a cloud of confusion that messes with all of your confidence. Stage three consists of crying -- and yes, you will be crying hysterically, frequently, and profusely. The fourth and final stage is fear: you will begin to become terrified of the question “what do you want to do?” Just the thought of trying to figure out what you want to do next is a vast unknown space that you can't even fathom facing.
After you’ve hit all the stages, here's what you need to do. Talk to your advisor! It is literally their job to deal with stressed out and confused college students. They have knowledge of other classes, majors, and resources you can check out to see what else you could be interested in. It is basically unheard of for a student to go through college following their intended plan of education, so you are not the only person going through this.
One of the hardest parts of going through this is that you are not at home with your traditional support system. So, call your parents! They will be able to comfort and reassure you more than anyone else. It also helps that your parents love you and will believe in you even when you don’t believe in yourself. Talk to your friends as well, because they most likely have gone through something similar, and are there to give you the physical comfort and reassurance you need.
This mid(college)life crisis is a critical point of your college career, but do not let it stop you. Don't clam up; communication is the only way for you to get the help that you need to be able to get through this.Take a step back, talk to your advisor, your parents, and your friends to help make a new plan for yourself. Once you've talked to everyone you can, calm down, relax, and focus on your new path.
