When something’s really eating at you, sometimes you just need to vent.
Unfortunately, it’s not always that easy in college. Even though you’re living in a miniscule dorm room with roommates and suitemates and thousands of other students nearby, it can be easy to feel like you have no one to talk to.
Enter www.studentspill.com. Student SPILL (Supported Peers in Laidback Listening) is an anonymous peer-to-peer support system where students can vent about their problems, then receive supportive messages from other students who have dealt with similar problems.
Feeling overwhelmed with schoolwork? Worried that you’ve picked the wrong school? Angry at your crazy roommate? There’s a lot to deal with in college. Whatever your issue, Student SPILL is there to listen. All you do is enter your spill (with a valid .edu email address) on the website, and you’ll receive about four to six responses within 24 hours from trained Student Supporters.
To test out the system, I submitted a spill on Tuesday about a problem I’ve been dealing with for several months involving one of my best friends. Honestly, just writing it out felt pretty good, but it felt even better when I got five anonymous emails full of feedback and encouragement. Some offered suggestions of how to improve my situation, but what I found most helpful was simply hearing, “Yeah, I understand. I’ve been there.” It’s a simple concept that’s surprisingly powerful.
Student SPILL isn’t meant to replace individual counseling, especially for more serious problems. But if you feel like you might go crazy soon if you don’t talk about what’s bugging you, I’d recommend it as an easy, safe, non-judgmental place to start. You might be surprised at how many students out there understand what you’re going through.
Got something you need to get off your chest? Want to learn about how to become a Student Supporter? Try it out at www.studentspill.com.
