How do I face going back to college?

Question

I do love my school--I'm getting a phenomenal education, I have terrific friends, and it's an overall rewarding experience--but I'm still dreading going back for my sophomore year. There's so much stress, the town where my college is located is awful, and I'm far away from my family. How can I have a better attitude about going back?

Answer 1

It sounds like overall you love college but there are certain aspects that you hate - I think the first step would be to sit down for literally 5 minutes and write down everything that you "dread", then go through each item to figure out what you can do to at least make it better. For example, perhaps this year you can pick an activity that you love and dedicate time to it every day - whether it's knitting, running, or just watching TV, anything that you love to do allows you a chance to unwind and physically and mentally you'll feel better. As far as the town is concerned, maybe you can try to go to the next town over; and seeing your family is easier than ever thanks to webcams, e-mail, the phone, the possibilities are endless! In the end, chances are, your friends and your peers feel the exact same way that you do - don't be afraid to open up to them and share your thoughts. I've done this many a time and my friends and I created such a strong network of support (e.g. breaking up homework assignments and working on them in pieces so as to lessen the load of your homework). Good luck!