Started college and hit depression, pretty much lost in life now.

I spent my high school years carelessly partying every weekend with a plan that I'll be going to college with my friends. When that didn't happen, I hit an all time low. Before that I thought I have the best and most fun years ahead!

I had/have a problematic family and a HUGE problem with my anxiety due to divorced parents, a lot of moving and changing schools. Feeling like I don't belong in my own family, I had always been dreaming of moving far away & living alone away from this noise. Finally the day had come and I got into college across the country. My long awaited wish came true. Haha, BUT this is where my current issue started.

Starting college, I felt completely lost. Lost in space, time, I had no friends until the 2nd semester and this still is my only friend here (who isn't that good). I even started gaining weight as a result of no will to get out of bed. As this academic year is coming to an end, I can still say I don't like being here. I go home rarely because I'm 7 hours away. There are days I feel extremely lonely with my thoughts feeling like I AM my OWN problem...

I started thinking if it would be better to move back home & start the next year there? I'd need to get used to the whole new college environment (which I'm terrified about), but I'm more comfortable in my hometown than here. However, I don't want to make a mistake, the idea that "somewhere else" is better than where I'm at right now is haunting me. I mean, at the end of the day THIS IS the life I was hoping for just a year ago now being completely depressed with it. Makes me wonder if this change for better is - again - an illusion.

I hope some of you can help me see things more clearly so I can make my decision. Thank you for reading.

The reality behind college is that you end up losing your high school friends. You should not have anticipated going to the same school as them, BUT you can still in contact with them here and there. The main purpose of going to college is to get an education and prepare you for the workforce. It is expected that once you start college, you begin to drift apart from your old HS friends. Of all the friends I currently have, I only have ONE friend from high school whom I am still in contact with... but it is seldom (I used to have two, but she is no longer here). The friends I am in contact with more are from college/volunteering activities I participated in while studying. As you are finding out, college is a different ballgame when it comes to your social life. You do have to start all over. It sucks, I get it and have been there. It can get lonely, but it doesn't have to be that way. It just means you have to put forth the effort again... but trust me, it's worth it.

To cope with anxiety and depression, you should be participating in clubs or volunteering opportunities related to your interest. Actually, this IS the time for you to do volunteer work that is related to your field of study because it will give you work experience and a chance to network into a career before graduation. So many kids just bury their noses in their school work and party... miss the opportunities to network for careers... and they end up graduating without a job/with a worthless degree to show nothing for. I have met many people through volunteering and actually used them as a network source into entry level jobs out of college. The busy you are, the less depressed you'll be. Volunteering has helped me overcome depression and loneliness.

As for your parents and their issues, do you really want to return back to that toxic environment? How is that going to help you? It's time to start slowly cutting them lose and begin to be your own person. It's great if they have your back, but you are becoming an adult now. You need to focus on developing yourself.

If you are still set on returning home, I recommend doing community college. It will save you a ton of tuition money/student loan debt. HOWEVER, the biggest downside is that if your desired job field requires a bachelor's degree, you will have to transfer to a state university, thus starting all over again with your social life. People don't typically stay at community college for more than 2 years... they move on. I was a transfer student into a university from a community college... and I had the most difficult time meeting people as a transfer student because everyone on campus had formed their own social cliques since Freshman year. I had a terrible time trying to fit in and had suffered with severe depression for a year as a result... I finally found my social knit during the LAST year of college within my program field, but then lost contact with those people after graduation. Looking back, I kind of wished I started at a four year university because the transition of finding and maintaining friends would of been much easier.

Yes, definitely come home and go to school where you live. There's no reason to spend $20,000 or $30,000 a year in the hopes of being able to party for four years. And any friends you make, you probably will never see them again after school. At least if you go to school locally, you might run into those folks for the rest of your life. And there's no guarantee that you'll get a better education away than closer at home. You should definitely look into transferring because it's getting late to apply to another school.

My son was absolutely miserable his first year away at college. He had a spoiled rich kid as a roommate who spent his time doing drugs, drinking and partying in their shared dorm room. He seldom attended classes either. None of that would have been too bad to deal with, but this kid chose to ridicule my son for studying and attending class...um, wasn't that why they were there in the first place? Also, the environment was beautiful but the climate didn't allow much outdoor activities and my son is a VERY outdoorsy type.

What he did was apply to transfer to a college at home without telling me. He only told me after he got accepted and started making plans to transfer. He thought I'd be disappointed. Initially I was (because I'd been so proud of him for going hundreds of miles away all on his own, the college was excellent, in a beautiful area), but then I realized I was being selfish. I couldn't demand he stay there miserable for my own gratification.

He transferred to the college at home and had a wonderful college experience through graduation. He never regretted it and neither did his dad or I.

If you're miserable...yes, transfer close to home. You can't focus on your studies if you're miserable.

In college life, you have to be proved yourself that you are the best person for the https://www.a-writer.org/compare-and-contrast-essay/ and with that, you also have a chance to make his self feel happy. So go to college and keep studying as a passion not too bored with his self.