The College Blues

College is a fun, but stressful time. For some, it is the first time they have been on their own. A lot of times, that can be tough to take. There is a definite adjustment period that one needs to go through before they can detach themselves from their previous comforts of home and family. When you pile homework, classes, tests and all apartment responsibilities; some kids start to get a little depressed.
How can you tell if you're depressed? Well, I'm not a doctor, but from what I've read it seems like whenever you have prolonged feelings of sadness and stress (I'm talking weeks or months of this), then you might have depression. Once that happens, take a load off, and go see a doctor. A good number of Americans aren't even aware that their mental wellbeing can be treated by a regular doctor. It certainly can!
Depression is not something to be ashamed of, it is a treatable mental condition. It isn't anything that you did, and you aren't inferior for any reason if you have clinical depression. If you are ever diagnosed with depression, please take the right steps to get treated right away. While you're in treatment, keep these tips in mind, and you might feel better faster.
Carefully plan your day: When you prioritize and schedule all your work, it gives you a sense of control over the day. That sense of control will grant you some stability and power. Once you feel empowered, you can start to feel better.
Plan your work and sleep schedules: I know how it goes. Oftentimes, students will put off homework until the night before and then stay up late doing it. Then, they wake up really tired the next morning. Problem is, they keep to that schedule fairly consistently. One of the triggers of depression is lack of sleep. So when you're planning out your day, make sure you get your work done first. After that, you can schedule eight full hours of sleep. With that, you will feel a little better.
Participate in an extracurricular activity: Involvement with an organization makes you feel worthwhile. You know that you can contribute, and you feel like a contributor to something other than yourself. Furthermore, any sort of club that does physical activity will release endorphins into your system. Endorphins are hormones that, when absorbed, create a good feeling in the body. So, anything that resembles physical activity is good for both body and mind.
Seek support from other people: There is no better feeling in the world to know that someone cares about you. If you can confide in someone (particularly a parent) about your condition, they will be able to help you whenever you need. The wonderful thing about most parents is that you matter more to them than anything else. So, if you can talk to your parents about what's going on, they will try and work with you to help you start to feel better.
Try relaxation methods and take "me" time: Nothing feels better than a quick power nap, or a nice bath. The problem with stress and depression is it makes you feel tense and constricted. With a nap, or something like a bath, you get to relax and let all the stress ebb away from you. By so doing, you loosed up your muscles (and your mind), and allow yourself to cope.
Work toward recovery: If you want to get better, you have to make an effort. As with most things in life, you need to go after it if you want it bad enough. Don't wallow, don't pine and don't sit in dark rooms listening to emo music. Dashboard Confessional doesn't really know how you feel, but your mom might. If you really want to beat this thing, then you have to beat it. Trust us, there are lots of people who love you and want to help.

About the Author
Andrew Snow writes blog content for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers guides people that are weighing the options of an online education and helps them compare which schools are the best online colleges for them and their specific goals.