We've all been there. Every college student has had at least one moment when they're sitting in their dorm, piles of homework and responsibilities scattered around them, feeling overwhelmed at the daunting task of getting a college education. A moment where they sit and think to themselves: what am I doing here? Do I belong here? Is this the right choice for me?
It may not be, but chances are, this IS the right choice for you. You've gotten this far, obviously there was something driving you to get to this point. Whether it's to make yourself and your parents proud or simply to get the education you need to enter the workforce, you are here for a very real reason. You wouldn't have applied in the first place if you weren't supposed to be here.
You can say that to yourself all day, but putting it into action and making yourself feel better about the life choices you've made thus far is easier said than done. You know why you're here and you know what the end goal is, so sometimes thinking to yourself all of the reasons why you're even in college can make you feel worse. You think to yourself I have no reason to be upset, I'm doing fine, so why do I feel this way?
You're not alone. Most college students end up feeling this way at some point in their college career. The defining difference between those who succeed and those who drop out is how they handle the times when they just want to quit.
So my advice to you is to take a day off. I'm not saying skip class, but if you have the absences, maybe take the day to decompress, destress, and re-evaluate why you're here. You know deep down that this is where you're supposed to be, you're just having a hard time remembering that, so some time off might help.
Take the day to surround yourself with the most loving and supportive people you know. Drink some tea and read a book. Watch your favorite series on Netflix. Whatever it is you do that calms you down and gets you into a positive pattern of thought. Then think about what you want to do, what you need to do to get there, and how to handle this feeling in the meantime. Nine times out of ten the list of things you need to do is going to include college at some point, and remembering that may just give you a little boost of motivation to get to class, get your work done, and start thinking like a college student.
Whatever you do, remember that this is normal. Everyone, whether in college or not, experiences the existential crises of not knowing what you're doing with your life or wondering whether or not you belong where you currently are. So keep your head up. You'll make it through this. And you do belong.
