Depression Among College Students An anonymous young college freshman tells the story of the depression she faced during her first semester of college, transition, and problems with her roommate . This happened not only during the first semester, but also during the second. Unfortunately, depression took over her life to the point where she wanted to commit suicide. Luckily, she changed her mind at the last second and was saved (Reachout.com). This young student is not just one of a few depressed college students, she is one of many. Universities need to take more responsibility for mental health issues, such as depression, by researching causes and effects and discovering beneficial treatments that promote students' overall well-being. Depression is defined as a common but serious mental illness, typically characterized by sad or anxious feelings. Most college students experience these emotions occasionally, but they usually pass quickly within a couple of days. This is untreated depression that interferes with daily activities and is much more than just “being a little down” or “feeling sad.” The causes can include many things, a couple of which are academic stress and self-esteem. These have been proven to have a great impact on students. College students face strenuous workloads on a daily basis, making them feel more pressured about their schoolwork and academics and causing anxiety. Approximately 50% of university students today suffer from depression, a greater number than is believed, but not all reveal that they have a depressive problem (Deroma, Leach, Leverett 325). Researchers suggest that academic stress plays a major role in a college student's depression. Most people know that college is much harder than high school…middle of the road…which allows for comfort and disclosure. If a student is struggling with depression, educated RAs can play an important role in that particular student's life. As has been demonstrated, student and campus depression is becoming more common every day and must be taken as a serious issue. There are many causes that cause depression, such as personal stress and academic stress. This severely affects a student's life and can lead to extremely negative outcomes such as suicide or eating disorders. Fortunately, there are treatments for this serious problem. Counseling centers and tutors in classrooms and residence halls can impact a student's overall well-being and attitude toward their daily life. Depression, in conclusion, is an extremely dangerous mental illness that, if not treated with the correct treatments, could become harmful to students all over the world..