[Ali]

This article really put into words something I didn’t expect when I started school — how isolating college can actually feel. Even when you're surrounded by people, it’s so easy to feel like you're on your own, especially if you're struggling to make real connections.

The writer shares her own experience and some things that helped her get through it and I thought it might be helpful to others who’ve felt the same way.

Here’s the link if you want to check it out: https://www.rootsofloneliness.com/loneliness-in-college

Has anyone else gone through this? What helped you feel more connected?

[Weighty]

When I was in college, it was some of the loneliest years of my life. I didn't know it at the time either, but I suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and I went to college in the Midwest after growing up somewhere sunny and warm, where the thought of not seeing the sun had never occurred to me.

But in addition to that, it was the first time I had lived away from home on my own and had to adapt to a whole new living environment, schedule, and self-sufficiency.

It also didn't help that I didn't share a lot of the same interests as a lot of people (ie: parties, drinking, etc), and was more into the gym, working out, and solitary endeavors since I am an introvert.

As the years went by, I learned to adapt, do things that I needed to feel good in that situation (working a part-time job helped get me out of the house and outside my comfort zone, but ALSO would drain me intensely!) and made relationships with new people that shared my interests.

[SummerDay]

I take it you didn't have any roommates? I can imagine that made it harder.

When I was heading to college, I worried I'd be lonely and I think I was more stressed out at first than anything else. Like until I got "settled" I guess. I had one roommate in my dorm room, and then one girl (who actually ended up being a to-this-day friend) who had the single room next to ours, but we all shared a bathroom (our room and hers).

And that helped, I think. I read the article linked in the first comment and the writer had a single room, and I do think that having a roommate can make you feel less lonely as long as you get along with them.

Although I know someone who shared a dorm room with the "roommate from hell" so... maybe not always lol.

I was never a huge partier, though. So I didn't take part in the frat parties or other things a lot of people did. I don't feel like I missed out on anything though... other than a lot of hangovers lol.

[Weighty]

I did have roommates, just one, but he was gone most of the time, staying with his girlfriend, or doing other things, so I wound up having the room mostly all to myself the last couple of years at college, which, looking back, was awesome!

Although when I first moved in, Magic: The Gathering was a big thing then, and he taught me how to play it, and I got hooked on it! I started going to local tournaments at card shops, and on a Friday night, we would do sealed deck tournaments for fun while others went out drinking and partying! LOL...

Those are things I did really enjoy -- the workout partner that I had that would push each other through some crazy workouts; the MTG games and endless talks about decks with my roommate; and the overall feeling of freedom and independence, despite the loneliness that would inevitably gather (no pun intended!) on some of those cold, dark winter nights.

[Ali]

I never went to college, but I was so glad that my daughter had roommates (and continues to). They all share an apartment now rather than a dorm, and even though it was a scary transition at the very beginning during freshman year (first week or so), she's made a solid "second family" there.

It didn't seem like she was ever lonely there, but too... her roommates are all from out-of-state like she is. And I think that helped.

It's funny. When she's here, she calls her place "home," but when she's at school/her apartment, she calls our house "home."