College is often portrayed as an experience guided by accomplishments and milestones, but much of the experience is defined by uncertainty. Students talk about internships, grades, clubs and plans for their future, yet each accomplishment is built on unseen struggles.

Part of the difficulty is that no two students face the same issues. One student might have excelled in high school but then struggled academically after coming to college. Another might feel isolated despite their strong grades. Add finances, burnout and family responsibilities into the mix, and it can quickly become overwhelming. From the outside, these experiences look completely different, but a common pattern emerges in how students respond to them.

Pressure to Choose
College places students in an environment where they are expected to make important life decisions while simultaneously trying to establish who they are and where they belong. Students choose majors, apply for jobs, join organizations and build relationships without any guarantee that their choice is the right one.

When a decision goes wrong, it can be difficult to move forward. Struggles rarely exist in isolation; a setback in one area can quickly spread into others. Academic difficulties can lead to stress and self-doubt. Social challenges can affect motivation and engagement. Problems that begin in one corner of a student’s life often have a ripple effect that leads to consequences beyond the original scope.

It’s hard to balance positive mental health while dealing with struggles, and it also doesn’t help that many mental health conditions can start to show in early adulthood. According to a study published in The Lancet Psychiatry, the probability of first onset peaked at around age 15, with median onset ages of 19 for male respondents and 20 for female respondents. Combine mental health issues with other challenges, and it can worsen feelings of failure.

The challenge often lies in the story that follows the obstacle. A poor exam grade can reinforce the idea of academic inadequacy. A rejected job application can feel like proof of falling behind. As confidence declines, the effects compound. What began as a temporary setback can develop into a cycle in which fear of failure becomes more damaging than failure itself.

When Achievement Goes Wrong (and Right)
Students are encouraged to pursue achievement, which can result in feeling inadequate compared to others. Far less attention is given to how students should respond when things do not go according to plan — for many, failure is avoided rather than understood.

Yet significant changes in college begin with failure. The decision to change majors, adjust priorities, seek support or reevaluate personal goals comes from the realization that something is not working. These moments are uncomfortable because they require confronting uncertainty directly. They challenge assumptions, disrupt plans and create questions without immediate answers.

If you had told me at the beginning of last fall that I would struggle that semester, I wouldn’t have believed you. If you had told me I failed that same semester and then switched majors at the end of spring, I’d say you’re crazy. I prioritized the wrong things until it came to a point where I needed to ask for help for the first time, and I couldn’t get past my fear of looking dumb. Personal issues and assignments compounded into a mess of procrastination and dysfunction.

Looking back though, I couldn’t be more grateful. Sure, things didn’t pan out how I wanted and I went through a lot myself, but it made me realize that there needed to be change. I needed to be more willing to accept help, and I needed more confidence in my own skills. I needed to build healthier habits and treat myself better while also finding a system that works for me. It didn’t mean my spring semester was perfect, far from it, but I learned a lot about myself during that time and made peace with my mistakes.

Many people interpret failure as a final judgment rather than a turning point. In reality, failure is often more informative than final. It reveals weaknesses, bad habits and paths that may no longer be worth pursuing.

None of this means failure is enjoyable, nor does it guarantee success. What it does say is that struggle is not incompetence. The challenge is recognizing when failure signals that something needs to change. What defines the college experience is not the struggles faced, but how one responds to them.