Let’s be honest about something that doesn’t get said enough: going back to school as an adult is stressful. Really stressful. Mental health in higher education isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a real consideration for adult learners, career changers, and even first time college students navigating this journey.
Odds are you are probably juggling a job (or two), maybe a family, bills…and now you’re having to think about factoring in coursework, deadlines, and exams. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or questioning whether you can actually pull this off, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re completely normal.
The good news? Recognizing that stress is part of the process is the first step, and building in ways of managing that stress effectively is what will help make the difference between surviving your education and actually thriving through it.
So take a breath, and let’s talk about how to support your mental health while going back to school!
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Why Going Back to School Feels So Overwhelming
First, let’s validate what you’re feeling. Going back to school as an adult learner comes with unique pressures that traditional students don’t face.
You’re balancing work and school, often full time jobs with full course loads. You might have family responsibilities (kids, aging parents, a partner who’s also managing their own life goal stress). Financially, the stakes feel higher because you’re investing money you’ve earned, not just student loans you’ll worry about later.
And then there’s the internal pressure. You might feel behind compared to younger classmates. You’re worried about whether you still know how to study, whether you’re too old, whether you can compete academically after years away from the classroom. Imposter syndrome is real, and it can hit adult learners hard.
Add to that the simple fact that change is stressful, even positive change. Career changers are stepping into uncertainty. First-time college students are navigating a system that feels foreign and intimidating. Everyone is stretched thin, trying to do everything well, all at once.
If that sounds exhausting just reading it, it’s because it is. All of that is why mental health support matters so much in higher education.
The Reality: Stress Doesn’t Mean You’re Failing
Feeling stressed doesn’t mean you’re not cut out for this. It means you’re human.
The narrative around college often glorifies the grind of pulling all-nighters, sacrificing everything, and pushing through no matter what. But that’s not sustainable, especially for adult learners with real-world responsibilities that can’t be ignored.
You don’t have to be perfect, you don’t have to excel at everything simultaneously, and you absolutely don’t have to pretend you’ve got it all together when you’re barely holding on.
Mental health struggles in college are common. Recognizing that stress, anxiety, and overwhelm are normal parts of this journey doesn’t make you weak. It makes you self aware. The goal isn’t to eliminate stress entirely (that’s unrealistic), but to manage it in ways that let you keep moving forward without burning out.
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Practical Ways to Support Your Mental Health
Let’s get into what actually helps. These aren’t abstract suggestions but practical strategies that adult learners can use to protect their mental health while going back to school.
Set Realistic Expectation
You don’t have to take a full course load. Part-time enrollment is valid and often a more manageable option for working adults. Taking two courses per semester instead of four doesn’t make you less committed, it makes you strategic! Give yourself permission to pace your education in a way that’s sustainable for your life.
Build a Self Care Routine
This isn’t about bubble baths and face masks (though if that’s your thing, great!). Self care for busy adult learners more often than not looks like: getting enough sleep (as often as you can), eating regularly instead of skipping meals, moving your body (even if it’s just a 15-minute walk), and protecting time to decompress (no screens, no studying). Don’t think of these things as luxuries, but part of the curriculum, they’re what will keep your brain and body functional under stress!
Use Campus Resources
Most colleges offer counseling services, and they’re not just for traditional students in crisis. Many schools provide free or low-cost therapy sessions, stress management workshops, support groups, and even Telehealth options for students who can’t come to campus. Don’t wait until you’re in crisis to reach out, preventive support is just as valuable.
Connect with Classmates
Isolation makes everything harder, find your people. Whether that’s in a student organization for non-traditional students, an online forum, or just a study group with classmates who also have kids and jobs, a shared experience is powerful. When someone else says, “I’m exhausted and questioning everything,” and you realize you’re not the only one, it helps.
Communicate with Professors
Many instructors are more understanding than you’d expect, especially if you’re proactive. If you’re struggling with a deadline because of work or family emergencies, reach out early. You don’t have to share every personal detail, but a simple, “I’m managing some challenging circumstances and wanted to discuss options for this assignment” often opens doors. Trust us, professors would rather work with you than watch you fail silently.
Set Boundaries
This is a hard one, but often very necessary. You can’t do everything for everyone all the time. That might mean saying no to extra projects at work during midterms. It might mean letting your kids watch more TV than usual during finals week. It might mean your house isn’t as clean as you’d like. Something has to give, and that’s okay. Boundaries protect your mental health and your ability to finish what you started. Lastly, don’t shy away from leaning on family and friends. Having a support group and communicating where you need help isn’t something to be embarrassed about!
Tap into Professional Help
Sometimes stress crosses into something more serious such as persistent anxiety, depression, panic attacks, thoughts of giving up entirely. If your mental health is significantly impacting your ability to function, that’s when professional support becomes essential. Therapy, medication, or intensive support isn’t a sign of failure but a tool that can help you succeed. Many adult learners benefit from working with therapists who specialize in life transitions and stress management. Remember this and don’t shy away from reaching out to local sources.
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When Mental Health Challenges Require a Pause
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, continuing school isn’t sustainable for your mental health. And that’s perfectly okay too.
Taking a semester off, reducing your course load, or even stepping away temporarily doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re prioritizing your wellbeing and immediate priorities, which is always the right choice. Mental health in higher education includes knowing when to push through and when to pause.
Most schools have leave of absence policies that let you step away without losing your progress. If you’re considering this, talk to an academic advisor about your options.
Why Mental Health Matters for Success
To put it simply, you can’t succeed academically if you’re falling apart mentally. Your brain doesn’t work well under chronic, unmanaged stress. Memory suffers. Focus disappears. Motivation crashes. Trying to power through severe mental health struggles without support isn’t noble, but can be very destructive and counterproductive.
Supporting your mental health isn’t separate from your academic success but foundational to it. When you’re managing stress effectively, sleeping adequately, and getting support when needed, you think more clearly, retain information better, and have the resilience to handle setbacks.
Adult learners who prioritize mental health don’t just survive their education, they actually enjoy it! They engage with their coursework. They build relationships. They feel proud of what they’re accomplishing instead of just feeling drained.
You’re Doing Something Hard—And That’s Worth Acknowledging
Going back to school as an adult learner, career changer, or first-time college student is genuinely difficult. It requires courage, sacrifice, and perseverance. It’s okay to struggle. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. It’s okay to ask for help. What’s not okay is suffering in silence because you think you should be able to handle everything perfectly. You’re human. This is hard. And you deserve support.
So as you navigate this journey, remember, your mental health matters just as much as your GPA. Protecting it, supporting it, and prioritizing it isn’t weakness but wisdom. The goal isn’t just to get through school. It’s to get through it in a way that doesn’t break you in the process. You’re capable of this. And the best part is you don’t have to do it alone.
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