by Kathleen Gilligan

Created on: November 23, 2007   Last Updated: January 01, 2008

How do you avoid the campus blues? For that matter, what are the campus blues? Reall, the campus blues are anything that makes you feel angry, tired, sad, and/or depressed. Anything can set you off and make you want to curl up on your bed, surrounded by mounds of fluffy pillows and fleece blankets and stay there. One day everything will be fine, the next it feels like you'll never be happy again. It happens to the best of us. After all, many things contribute to feeling the campus blues when you are a new student. Missing friends and family, getting bad grades, the weather, and many other situations can all affect the way college students feel.

New students may feel homesick when they first arrive at college. For many, this may be the first time they every really spent away from home. It's a new school and a new living situation. The first tip for avoiding the campus blues is to keep in touch with your family and friends. Take some time to make phone calls to those you miss the most. Text if you're feeling lonely. Write emails or instant message them if it's more convenient. It will be hard to get through the day if you aren't with somebody you've seen every day for the last couple of years. Communication is the key. Don't wait until you're already feeling sad or lonely! Talk to your loved ones any time you want.

Sometimes communication won't be enough. That's okay. Arrange to visit your friends at school, or have them come visit you. Make a trip home to see your family. Remember that they will always be there for you even if you aren't with you.

Another thing that can contribute to new students getting the campus blues is getting bad grades. It happens to the best of us. You'll have spent so much time studying for that big test or writing that paper, and then your grade won't reflect any of that. Students just need to tell themselves to learn from this, and move on. Dwelling on one bad grade will only make you nervous about the next one, and cause stress. If you know where you went wrong, just make sure not to repeat your mistake. If you aren't sure what happened, speak to your teacher or other students. This will prevent it from happening again. Take joy in the good grades you've received.

Leaves falling in autumn, the first snowfall, buds blooming, and rainfall can all be lovely. Or they can be depressing. There could be days without sun when it snows or rains. Dreary clouds could cause those campus blues. But before you get depressed, try to enjoy the weather. Build snowmen and drink hot chocolate with friends. Buy some new rain boots and splash in puddles. If it's hot out, have a water balloon fight, or make snow cones. Find ways to make the weather fun. This will keep those campus blues away.

So remember to keep in touch with family, visit friends, learn from your mistakes, and make the weather fun, and you'll have no problem avoiding those campus blues!

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