We are now standing in the year 2021, and the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be slowing down. As a student, it’s great to see things seem back to normal, but it’s also hard to forget how things were a year ago. The 2020-2021 school year was challenging for the vast majority of students and faculty. Adjusting to online learning was something that didn’t seem possible for me. On top of that, I wasn’t able to see all the people that I would run into for class and just out on campus. This made the campus seem deserted and cold.
The longer I stayed on campus, the more and more distant I felt from myself. I became more irritable and found myself freaking out for little to no reason. I went from always wanting to be around my friends to locking myself in my room for hours on end. I didn’t know what was happening to me, but I luckily had my friends and family point me in the right direction. I sought counseling, and medical advice that helped me get on the right track. TU offered a lot of support and helped me with my school work and other obligations.
Dealing with this depression-based anxiety is not a quick and easy fix. I learned how to deal with it through breathing techniques and eating a consistent and healthy diet. What helped the most though was talking about it. There is a fake stigma surrounding men and opening up about their feelings. The past would say that men felt like they could not talk about the emotional side of life, but my past experience was the complete opposite.
My friends and family were incredibly supportive. If you find yourself feeling off, and don’t really know how to explain, reach out to someone. Not everyone can do this on their own, and you’re not alone.