Talk to an advisor (9 AM-9 PM EST): 866-442-6062

Talk to an advisor (9 AM-9 PM EST): 866-925-2803

Jamaica Slicer, a graduate of Indiana University (Bloomington, IN), was diagnosed with major depressive disorder soon after entering college. She says she had problems giving herself credit for success, which resulted in low  

Self-Esteem

 .

"If I got a B on a test, I felt like I didn't work hard enough," she says. "If I got an A, I felt like the test was just easy and I didn't deserve it." Though she was an honor student in high school, Jamaica found college to be a different -- and much more difficult -- experience. "It's more important to do well in college than in high school," she says. "After college, you're getting a job. There's much more pressure."

Soon, however, Jamaica realized her problems were normal, and she'd be fine once she stopped worrying so much and let her work speak for itself. "Mostly, it was recognizing that I was being too hard on myself," she acknowledges.

How Hard Can College Be?
Classroom misfortunes, conflicts with peers, and failures in love can make college a breeding ground for self-esteem issues. Many college students find the pressures of making new friends and struggling for acceptance while handling a more advanced workload to be overwhelming and ego-shattering. Low self-esteem is a common side effect of these new challenges. Students who have been less than successful in the past might not feel they're college material, says Scott Evenbeck, dean of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). But, he adds, college students need to put aside their doubt and focus on learning in order to succeed.

"The challenge for entering students is to understand that they can be successful, then provide contexts for that success," he says.

Take It From Someone Who Knows ...
Susan Stiles was 30 years old when she went back to school, enrolling at IUPUI after briefly attending college a decade earlier. She was mired for eight years in what she terms a "dysfunctional marriage," during which she and her husband often drank and indulged in drugs. But Susan had a daughter, and decided to clean up her life and return to the classroom.

However, she lacked confidence and self-esteem, and often didn't trust her own judgment. "I just always assumed I was wrong," she says. Once she got into school, though, things changed.

Putting Self-Esteem Into Perspective
Susan took a freshman writing course, and though she struggled, she came away with a good grade and a new sense of direction. She then got a little bolder and signed up for IUPUI's writing tutor training seminar. "It was the first time I ever worked that hard toward reaching a goal," she admits. But she found tutoring to be her niche. "I felt like I could make a difference."

Taking Charge of Your Self-Image
When you're feeling inadequate as a college student, keep these five factors in mind:

1. You're not the only one who makes mistakes. You can react to failure in two ways: Drag yourself into the recesses of self-pity, or acknowledge your mistakes and do your best to correct them.

2. Take time to do things you enjoy and excel at. If you don't have a hobby, get one. Jamaica's hobby of volunteering allowed her to put life into perspective. "It made me realize that some people are worse off than I am," she says.

3. Set small goals. If you have trouble speaking in class, say hello to someone you don't know. After a couple of weeks, volunteer to speak in class. Pick a time when you're certain you can add insight to the discussion. Later on, get a little gutsier and say something controversial.

4. Every semester, pick a class that interests you, as opposed to one that fills a degree requirement. Evenbeck points out that getting excited by coursework is vital to success, which will naturally improve self-esteem. "The old 'sit down, shut up, and memorize this' approach that some students perceive to be the message of educators is disastrous for student learning," he says.

5. Visit student tutors and mentors, even if you don't think you need to. Tutoring services often have a negative stigma attached to them -- college students may think visiting a tutor means they're not smart enough to learn on their own. But the main job of a student tutor or mentor is to offer advice in areas where he or she struggled at one time. Evenbeck says tutors and mentors are vital to the learning process. "Students often arrive without the habits that are required for successful university study. Other students are often in the best [position] to communicate those behaviors to new students," he says. Developing those habits will lead to greater success and a better self-image.

Tending to your sanity and developing a healthy self-image is just as important as anything you learn in a textbook. And maintaining a positive outlook will help keep you out of the doldrums and allow you to concentrate on learning and growing as a person. Jamaica says she learned to lean on people close to her to help get her through: "It's important to surround yourself with supportive people, like friends and family."

Sound Off! Post Your Comments