Starting college: how to look after your mental health

When Jordan finished this site as a high school senior in 2020, the next step was college, to study psychology, with the hope of becoming a counselor. Starting college is one of the biggest changes most young people go through: new place, new people, new freedom, and often no one nearby who has known you for years. It’s exciting. It can also be hard on your mental health, and that is nothing to be ashamed of.

Why is the transition to college so hard on mental health?

A lot changes at once. Your routines, sleep, friends, church, and the adults who used to notice when you were off all shift overnight. At the same time, the late teens and early twenties are when many mental health conditions first show up.

The numbers back this up. According to NIMH, in 2022 adults aged 18 to 25 had the highest rate of any mental illness in the past year, 36.2%, compared with 29.4% for ages 26 to 49 and 13.9% for those 50 and older.

In the American College Health Association’s spring 2025 survey of 47,194 undergraduates at U.S. schools:

• 20% had scores indicating serious psychological distress
• 48.5% screened positive for loneliness
• 25.3% rated their stress in the past month as high
• 40.4% had ever had counseling for a mental health condition, and 25.2% had counseling in the past year

(Only about 10% of students invited took that survey, so treat the numbers as a snapshot, not an exact count.) The takeaway: if you are struggling, you are far from the only one, and a lot of students are already getting help.

Is it normal to feel lonely when you start college?

Very. The JED Foundation, a nonprofit focused on teen and young adult mental health, says there is nothing weird or wrong about feeling unsettled or lonely in the first few weeks or months. Its research found that nearly half of current or former college students felt out of place or isolated at some point.

Loneliness isn’t a verdict on you. Friendships take time and repetition. JED suggests building relationships with classmates, roommates and professors, and noticing who makes you feel safe, heard and seen.

How do I build community at college?

The CDC says social connection can lower the risk of depression and anxiety and helps people manage stress. A few ways to start:

• Say yes early. The first weeks are when everyone is looking for friends. Go to floor events, club fairs and intramurals, even if it feels awkward.
• Choose something regular. A weekly club, team, job, Bible study or volunteer shift lets friendships grow naturally.
• Talk to professors. Office hours are for exactly that, and a professor who knows your name is a support.
• Stay in touch with home, but not only home. Calls with family and old friends help; they work best alongside new local connections.

How can a faith community help in college?

For many Christian students, finding a church or campus ministry is one of the best things they do. It gives you a weekly rhythm, people who care how you’re doing, and older believers who have walked through hard seasons. Jordan’s site pointed to this passage about why gathering matters:

“Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” — Hebrews 10:24-25 (WEB)

A good church community encourages you to get care when you need it. Faith and counseling are not rivals; many pastors and campus ministers can help you find a counselor, and many counselors respect your faith.

How do I use the campus counseling center?

Most colleges have a counseling or wellness center for enrolled students. Do these things in your first week, before you need them:

1. Find the counseling center on your school’s website and save its phone number and after-hours line.
2. Learn what it offers, which often includes short-term counseling, groups, workshops, crisis appointments, and referrals to longer-term care nearby.
3. If you already see a therapist or take medication, plan with them how you’ll continue care before you arrive, and let the counseling center know you’re coming.

You don’t need a crisis to go. “I’m having a hard time adjusting” is a perfectly good reason.

What everyday habits protect your mental health in college?

NIMH’s simple self-care list fits college life well: regular exercise, enough sleep, gratitude, relaxing activities such as time outside, and staying connected. College makes sleep especially easy to lose, with late nights, early classes and phones in bed. See sleep and mental health and stress and simple habits that help.

What are the warning signs that you or a friend need help?

NIMH recommends getting help when intense or upsetting symptoms last two weeks or longer. Watch for long stretches of sadness or emptiness, losing interest in things you enjoy, constant worry, or trouble keeping up with classes. Read about depression and anxiety.

Some signs are more urgent. NIMH lists these warning signs of suicide:

• Talking about wanting to die, or feeling like a burden to others
• Feeling hopeless, trapped, or in unbearable pain
• Pulling away from friends and family, or saying goodbye
• Sudden mood swings, taking reckless risks, or using more alcohol or drugs
• Sleeping or eating much more or less than usual

If you notice these in a friend, ask them directly how they’re doing, listen, stay with them, and help them reach the 988 Lifeline. Telling an RA or campus staff member is not betraying them; it is caring for them.

When to get help

If you or a friend are thinking about suicide or self-harm, get help now: call or text 988, any time, day or night. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. For more everyday mental health topics, browse our guides.