The saying “you are not alone” is one of those things that can really fall by the wayside when you’re in the trenches dealing with class, anxiety, friends, or anything else on the laundry list of things that college students have to worry about. 

     Everything can be going great academically, but when things really start to get to you everywhere else, it’s hard when you feel all by yourself in your struggles. However, realizing that there are supportive people and structures all around you and reaching out to them can really help turn things around for the better, no matter who you are or wherever you happen to be in your college career. 

     When things aren’t looking so good, it’s easy to try and keep your head down, move forward, and keep it all to yourself, but given the other options, that isn’t the best way to handle whatever it is you’re dealing with. 

     More often than not, the best course of action is to talk to someone you trust, be it an R.A., a friend, family member, Campus Ministry, or the Wellness Center. Sometimes it feels like (and sometimes it’s true) talking to someone is easier said than done, but seriously taking that first step to approach the problem can lead to proactive solutions. 

     When you talk to someone, you start to learn, and when you learn about what’s going on with yourself or your environment, that’s when you’re primed to do something about it and help yourself, or even help others. It’s one thing to just hear about or read “you are not alone” all over campus all week, but it’s not as easy to internalize that and realize that on this campus, that really is the truth: dolphins don’t let dolphins swim alone. 

     It’s worth taking a look around to see how people in your social circle are feeling. Do you need to be someone else’s support system? Who do you need to be there for? Nobody needs to (or is even expected to) handle life entirely on their own, and reaching out to help someone else can mean the world to them. 

     Sometimes when the going gets tough, it’s hard to see who or what is around you to help, but once you reach out and get the help you need, you’ll certainly be glad you did. It’s hard to not overstate just how supportive Le Moyne’s resources and students can be to anyone dealing with anything. It’s not always easy, but it’s absolutely always worth it.