Thanks everyone- these were really helpful!

DD read them and your kind words and encouraging stories made her feel less alone.

She also connected to one of her professors who was worried about her. She had been afraid to admit how hard she was struggling. And her professor’s encouragement has really helped too.

Hopefully these stories can serve as encouragement for other students who have had a hard time this year.

Both of my kids struggled first semester freshman year - it's pretty typical, even though of course its not true for everyone. But also both of mine kids had better second semesters - one moved and that made the whole thing better and the other just found a better group of friends. I think it takes time. One graduated and loved his experience and the other is about to graduate and wishes it wasn't over!

I struggled with health problems my first year - back when things like this weren’t admitted or discussed as openly. I was at a dream school for many, and it wasn’t “supposed” to be this way. Fortunately my college environment was very nurturing and by my third year, several caring individuals on campus helped me pull it together. I would encourage your kids to try to find a support system, wherever they are. It could be a faculty member, therapist, coach, or several people. There is a lot of pressure to project oneself as having the “perfect” college experience and it’s even worse now with social media. Lots of people struggle in different ways and at different times during college-and it’s not always visible.

OP, sorry your daughter is struggling. I think all freshmen do to some extent. Dropping a class is not at all unusual. A couple of ideas, does her college offer peer counseling? Most of the private colleges have it in all subjects, it is just a matter of tracking it down and then understanding that lots of students use it. Look to see if that is a resource for her. Is there something she likes to do that is a stress reliever for her, working out, talking a walk, spending a couple of hours in a museum etc. Encourage her to build that kind of time into her schedule.

My kid definitely struggled-multiple sicknesses, but the sudden death of her new college friend who she was supposed to room with this year was devastating! Even though they only knew each other for 6 months, these kids are together constantly and get very close. It was a close call thinking she’d have to come home-but got through it. Even though she didn’t end with th the GPA she wanted after her freshman year-she got through it. It puts things in perspective for sure!