Disclaimer: If you or someone you know is struggling or looking for more mental health resources, visit the JED website.


Stress is an issue we all face, but with first-year college students, stress can often take a harmful and negative mental toll on students. McGraw Hill has partnered with The Jed Foundation (JED) to bring awareness to mental health resources.  This video addresses the topic of depression, with some steps below that students can take.

1. You are not alone

When starting college, students will come to learn that there will be bad days. While that doesn’t sound great, the good thing is that those students aren’t the only ones who may be having this experience. As students work throughout the semester, they’ll find other students to talk to who are also sharing the same experiences. There are counselors, academic advisors, professors, and others that students can talk to on campus regarding past experiences with stress.

2. Don't feel pressured for perfection

Students may have an urge, when the semester begins, to take on new challenges. They’ll volunteer, apply to clubs, and balance their academics on top of everything. It’s important not to let the pressure of having to do extremely well overwhelm students.

3. Ways to reduce stress before the first day of class

The beginning of the semester may seem daunting to some students and can cause a lot of stress when they don’t know what’s approaching. Getting organized for classes can help reduce the stress students feel. Taking a day to explore classes around campus with some friends and pre-reading textbooks for class to be a step ahead can be very beneficial.

College stress for first-year students can be overwhelming at times, but what’s important is to look at stress from a glass-half-full perspective. Focusing on the positives in one’s life can help keep perspective when dealing with stress.

For even more videos covering mental health topics, check out JED’s video playlist.