A story about the struggles of being on your own.
I was diagnosed with depression at the age of 16 and post-secondary schooling has been difficult in many ways. I started out going to Trent university straight out of highschool for honours science with the intention of transferring to the nursing program the following year. I loved the campus and the courses I was taking. However, my mental health got the best of me. I spent many nights alone in my residence room crying and wanting to go home. By december I had already applied to the nursing program at various colleges closer to my hometown of Parry Sound. During the christmas break I decided to drop out of school and move home to better my mental health. Although I am an introvert, I found the isolation of post secondary to be taunting. There were times when I wouldn’t leave my dorm room for days at a time and nobody would check in on me, not even my roommates. After this expereince i was hesitant to continue my education at Cambrian College although I was living with a friend and knew it was closer to home. I continued to struggle mentally and physcially. For my physical health I found it difficult to eat healthy in a dorm room. There was no stove or oven to cook with so it was difficult not to eat mr.noodles everyday. Most cafeteria food is also not very healthy so that did not help.
I still struggle with being on my own however I have come up with strategies to overcome that. I have come up with various ideas to better my physical and mental health without the help of others. For example, developing a meal plan helps me to eat healthier and ensures that i do eat more than once a day. also, coming up with a workout plan and taking time for myself each day can help mentally. I have also tried journaling to work through my emotions. For anyone struggling with depression or feeling isolated I would recommend making sure you talk to at least one person each day face to face, even if it is just the cashier at the grocery store. I would also recommend forcing yourself to go outside and maybe go for a short walk each day.
I would like to emphasize that every post-secondary institution has many resources available for their students no matter what they are struggling with. it is important to reach out and ask for help if you need it. There is no shame in struggling with any aspect of school even your mental health.
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