I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety when I was about a junior in high school. I was always on the lower side of the spectrum, and usually was able to function easily. I excelled in school, was involved in many activities, worked, and still had time for friends. Once I got to college though, everything became more difficult. The academics were rigorous, and this coincided in a worsening of my mental health.

Simple daily tasks such as eating, showering, and attending class became difficult. It took more and more out of me each day just to take care of myself, even though I had been a super independent person throughout the duration of my life. Not only did I have to deal with my anxiety and depression, but had to continually be keeping up with my homework, quizzes, papers, readings, midterms, research projects, lab reports, and warm-up problems. If I took one day off I would feel guilty, and the next day I would be extra anxious about getting work done.

College doesn't only bring stress in the form of homework, tests, and papers, but also in the high expectations of what others expect. I've convinced myself that I need to be doing good in school; it isn't simply good enough to attend class, and learn I have to be getting A's and B's so I can get into grad school. Grades are over-emphasized in the schooling system.

This last semester I had to make a hard decision to put my mental health above my academic wellbeing. I skipped around three classes a week, because I needed to focus on my mental health. This was by no means an easy decision; each time I skipped class I felt guilty, I felt disappointed, I felt upset.

College is already extremely difficult, but when struggling with one or more mental illnesses college can become almost impossible. I've seen this first hand. Know that doing your best is okay. You don't need to get perfect grades. Know that it is totally okay to not know what you want to do in the future. Letting your professors know at the beginning of the semester is important, as a safety net. Purposefully set safety plans into action. If you find yourself struggling to wake up for your 8 a.m. class because of your depression, try taking later classes or walking to class with a friend.

I applaud all you students who do struggle with some type of mental illness; it is so extremely difficult. Be proud of yourself. Celebrate the small accomplishments, like attending all your classes in a day, eating all three meals, or finishing a paper a day early. Continue to work hard, and don't be afraid to ask for help. Rely on your friends, they are there to help you out. If you notice that your mental health is worsening, get help sooner rather than later, don't wait until you are crying at 3 a.m. because you don't know how to make things better. Take one day each week, and designate it to doing no homework, and making sure not to stress about class that day.