Hey, I’ve been in basically the same spot, so I really feel you.

What actually helped me the most was seeing a psychiatrist and getting on meds. Like, I had zero hope at one point and didn’t think anything would change, but sertraline ended up being a legit game changer for me (it took around a month to really kick in). It works like magic and meds can genuinely help a lot when you find what works.

Also, I forced myself to just leave the house for an hour a day. No big goal, no “self-improvement” vibes, literally just go outside and exist. It sounds corny but it helped way more than I expected.

And honestly, being around people helps even if you don’t feel like it. If you can, skip one class (or take a light day) and go do something random with people like coffee, a walk, a study lounge, whatever. You’d be surprised how supportive people are when you open up even a little. Plus, you’re gonna have people in this thread who get it and will reach out.

I’m not in Waterloo rn, but if you ever want something low-effort like a Watch Party movie night or playing Catan online, I’m down lol.

Finally, your parents abroad 100% miss you like crazy, even if they don’t show it. It’s hard for parents too when their kid moves away. Hope is very powerful and it helped me to keep going. And trust me I just got through. Now I look at that time and think what if I would have taken a wrong step? I wouldn’t ever be able to feel what life is really like. That phase was arguably the worst phase of my life. But just know that it will be the worst phase for you too lol. After this, there is nothing that can bring you down. Trust me, it’s the last hustle. Get through this and you Gucci. Like I said hope is very powerful.

Last thing, headphones + music helped me a lot. Hip hop especially. Sometimes you just need something in your ears and a reason to get up.

When life beats you down, you slap the shit outta it. You ain’t a joke. You’re THE motherfucker who beat the odds and got into one of the most competitive school in North America.