Can I live a good life after sickness, depression, missing out on college years?!

Question: Can I live a good life after sickness, depression, missing out on college years?

I am 21 years old and used to attend Rutgers University. I left after my freshman year because I had health problems and couldn't manage school anymore. I've been feeling unwell and depressed ever since I left college but everything is starting to improve. I am finally starting to feel better and am working towards living life again. I have a lot of dreams that I want to pursue now that things are finally starting to lift. I want to explore religion, learn how to play the guitar, work on my self confidence by working out and eating well and learning how to dress myself better, I want to get back on track with school (I started taking online classes at Northeastern this year) by volunteering and eventually interning, I want to travel to Europe with my friends and India (my relatives live there), I want to date and fall in love...these are all long term goals. Can someone give me some perspective? Since I'm doing my degree online now and am going about the college to career path differently, I just want to know if I'll be happy. Will I be hearing about how fun and amazing college was and feeling like my life just got screwed over? I really want to get better and be happy, and I'm going to have to work for it. I could really use other people's POV. Thanks so much.

Answers:

It's great that you are starting to feel better. You have a lot of wonderful goals for your life and that shows that you really do want to start living life again. It is important to focus on one or two goals at a time, if you expect yourself to accomplish all of that in a short amount of time you may get overwhelmed.

There are a lot of students who are taking online courses to finish college. It is a great way to finish your degree and it give you more flexibility. You are right, you may miss out on they typical college experience, but you will be having your own college experience that may be equally amazing. It might help to redirect your thinking from what you might miss out on. If you focus on your life as it is and making the best of it right now, you will be more likely to be happy.

Depression can be difficult to overcome, but you are on the path to getting better and having all of the wonderful, amazing experiences that you want. Keep it up, you'll do great!

Counselor, SW

Boys Town National Hotline
1-800-448-3000

www.YourLifeYourVoice.org

Life is what you make of it so focus on the good things and the goals you want to achieve instead of the negative things in your life. It's never too late to start living and loving your life. Just set small goals to reach your longterm goals and stick to it. It's not your longterm goals that will make you happy it's the little things that happen along the way.

I don't think you will feel that you missed out on something. Attending college on campus isn't that big of a deal. You go, you party, you waste time and lots of money. You sound like a very responsible person who is getting his life back on track. Yay for you!!! Stay focused on your goals, hang out with your friends and have a good time. :)

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Can I live a good life after sickness, depression, missing out on college years?!

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