It’s around that time of year again where it is time to dive back into schoolwork and ready yourself for the spring semester. Where it could feel like you are on autopilot and forcing yourself to adjust to homework, midterms, and finals all over again after a long break that seemed to be cut short. It is okay to be feeling this way you are not alone in this. 

College students in this day and age are under a lot of pressure with new and exciting things happening throughout the school year on top of pandemic surges happening everywhere. MMC students express how they have been feeling during this tough transition: 

“Being inside for extended periods of time being on screens for multiple classes a day is not good for anyone. Not only that, but while I cannot speak for anyone besides myself, online classes are far harder to learn and actually retain information in, not to mention the fact that most people keep their cameras off and have less desire/motivation/ability to engage in class, which is sad, and something that can be fixed by making in-person class the norm again,” Chase Miles, MMC Sophomore, believes this transition is not only one of the hardest but the most frustrating with overwhelming feelings of stress and being unmotivated. 

“It was a tough transition for me. I had to work constantly so it really wasn’t a break. Adding school on top of that added a lot of stress for me. My classes are already feeling difficult and going back into school mode is so hard after over a month of not having to deal with it,” Madelyn Brain, MMC sophomore, expressed during this time she was not only stressed but feeling depressed for a long time causing daily tasks to become harder and harder to want to do. Madelyn kept reminding herself it will all be worth it in the end. 

“I had been home for a month and the holiday spirits still lingered in me, so I didn’t want to leave…I had a hard time saying goodbye to my family and going on my flight, but after adapting to my new school schedule and seeing my college friends, I feel a lot better!” Michelle Ledezma, MMC Sophomore, expressed how she had a hard time getting back into school mode, but to remember this transition time where you experience feelings of depression will get better and those around you will help you through it!

Those feelings of pressure can cause students to feel depressed and have depressed-like symptoms,  according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, “Over 40% of college students experienced increased feelings of stress over the past year. Nearly 73% of students living with a mental health condition experienced a crisis related to that condition on campus.” So, it’s normal to feel constantly overwhelmed and have no motivation to do things, but there are different ways to help. 

Even if that means taking a day for yourself, even stopping by your favorite coffee shop, and just being the main character of your story. Those little things where you take care of yourself make all of the difference. 

If you do not where to start to back to a school routine there are tips to help you be healthy not only physically but mentally as well:

1. Maintain a regular bedtime: lack of sleep has been proven to worsen the feeling of having no motivation, your mind and body deserve a break from all this studying. So, try to find the right time to stop and get a good night’s rest to be replenished for the next day. 

2. Time Management: Create a set schedule for yourself where you have a balance of studying, eating, and sleeping so that you do not overwork yourself. Whether that is setting reminders on your phone or writing in a planner, having these time schedules will keep you from overloading yourself. 

3. Prioritize your physical/emotional health: Remembering to maintain some kind of physical exercise is very important in helping to reduce these increased symptoms of stress. With a few more months of winter left everyone still wants to hunker down and stay in with a cozy blanket, especially students in the dorms, but if it’s too cold to go outside exercise where you can. Also, to have an outlet for emotions you are feeling when there is no one around to keep a journal it lets you see all your emotions in black and white making them less scary. If journaling is not your thing, talk to someone who is in the same boat with you or even reach out to loved ones. \

3. Campus Health facilities: If you feel these symptoms are getting worse MMC has on-campus resources that will ensure to help you through this tough time, in the form of Counseling Wellness Center. 

This form of depression may happen mostly in college students, but it is still depression and should be taken seriously.  We are in the final stretch and you got this!