Hey there,

Honestly, you sound a lot like me when I first started college. I found the transition to be extremely difficult as well, and like you, I also fell out of contact with my friends from high school. To this day, I don't really talk to anyone that I went to high school with except for some teachers, but sometimes you do find yourself growing apart from people as you get older and things change, and that's okay! I know that's not necessarily comforting to hear now, though. Like you, I felt very isolated and alone at the time, and I was definitely overwhelmed by all the change.

The first thing to know is that you're definitely not a failure! College truly is a rough transition, and looking back, I realize that I really wasn't entirely prepared for how different it was from high school. I think it's definitely a shock! Ultimately, my first attempt at college wasn't successful, as I realized that the school I was attending wasn't really for me and I needed to figure myself out before I committed to an area of study. I ended up leaving, and now I'm working on finishing my bachelor's degree in my mid-twenties at a school that I absolutely LOVE, double-majoring in two areas that I LOVE. I'm not saying that this is the path that you have to take, but if I'm honest, it's worked out much better for me this way. Don't beat yourself up if you have a rocky start - in my experience, things tend to work themselves out in the end.

It sounds like you're dealing with a lot right now. Do you think you need some time to take care of yourself and get back on track? If so, it's okay to take a semester off, or like me, leave college and return at a later date. Remember that it's okay to not follow a traditional path if you don't feel that's what's best for you right now. I can confidently say that doing things at my own pace is the best decision I've ever made in my life. I LOVE college now, which is something I didn't think I'd be saying!

I guess if there's one thing I want to tell you, it's that it's definitely not too late. I know it's easy to get fixated on your mistakes when you're right in the middle of it all, but it's okay to take some time and space to regroup. And when you look back on this in a few years, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with where you end up. That's definitely what has happened with me! I berated myself for years for not following a traditional path, but honestly, it couldn't have turned out any better.

Try your best to take care of yourself, and don't be afraid to take some time for yourself if needed.

I wish you all the best!