We typically hear the term ‘mid-life crisis’ being referred to someone in their 40s or 50s who does something completely crazy, buying a motorcycle or doing a 180 on their career choice. However, there is a new trend rising among college students called the mid-college crisis. According to former Seaton Hall student Samantha Giedris, the typically mid-college crisis happens around the beginning or end of the middle of your college career. Typical worries that can trigger the crisis are if you’re on track to graduate with the right credit hours, if your major and minor is what you’re passionate about, if the career you’re choosing is right for you, if you have enough extracurriculars on your resume, and so on. Another aspect of college that can trigger this crisis that Giedris notes is fear of missing out, or FOMO. FOMO has become an even more popular trend in recent years as social media has been on the rise. You may be wondering how you can tell if you’re in a state of mid-college crisis. Well, according to Giedris, a person may have trouble sleeping or excessive studying or partying habits. Speaking personally when I have had this mid-college crisis, I noticed my anxiety increased significantly during this time. If you’re someone with high anxiety, you may find this to be a symptom of this crisis state. So, how do you take steps to get past the crisis stage? According to Lillian Friedman, a good starting point is to speak to your academic advisor. They are the people who make sure you graduate on time and have had plenty of experience to help guide you in the right direction. She
also recommends exercising because when you feel better physically, the mind becomes more focused and determined to be productive. What I have learned when I fall into this crisis state is to take a deep breath and run through my goals. If I am on track to meet my goals, a little bit of weight is taken off my shoulders. If I evaluate my goals and find that I am not on track, I tweak some things that I am doing to help me get on the path that I need to be on. While being in a mid-college crisis may seem overwhelming, take a deep breath and know that this is only a temporary feeling on the road to much bigger and better events in your life.