By Camila Palacios, LMSW | November 1st, 2026
If there's one thing I've learned from being a college student, it's that life can throw you some pretty unexpected curveballs, sometimes all at once. Between school, working multiple jobs, trying to stay financially stable, and figuring out adulthood, there's a lot more to college than just going to class and turning in assignments.
During my senior year at NAU, I lived in these tiny apartments right across the street from the HLC. No kidding, they were literally right across the street! Since I didn't have a car at the time, the location was PERFECT. Rent was dirt cheap, the gym was right across the street, and campus was basically at my fingertips. After a pretty tumultuous roommate experience in the dorms, I finally had my own space, and it felt like I had hit the jackpot. My cat was happy to have his own space, too, and honestly, life couldn't have been better.
Of course, there were still challenges. I was taking a full course load while working THREE jobs. Even now, I look back and wonder how I managed to do all that. I'd been working one or two jobs since my freshman year, but back then, I had a meal plan. Now I was responsible for buying my own groceries, paying my bills, and taking care of my cat. That meant carrying huge bags of cat food and litter home, sometimes walking 20–30 minutes in the snow or rain. Looking back, I definitely had a lot on my plate!
After months of working and saving, I finally had enough money to buy my first car at 20! I was SO proud of myself. I still had to work on getting my license, but hey, progress is progress! I'd always had anxiety about driving and living independently, but having my own car gave me the motivation to face those fears. I started small, driving to the grocery store and right back home. Eventually, I worked my way up to making the five-hour drive to visit my family. Something that once felt impossible was suddenly something I could do.
By the time I graduated with my bachelor's degree and turned 21, I felt like I was on top of the world. I had an affordable apartment, a gorgeous little Subaru, my degree, and so much to look forward to. After working so hard to get to that point, I finally felt like things were falling into place.
And then, well... life happened.
When Everything Started Falling Apart
One of my roommates decided to move out, which meant finding someone to replace her. Luckily, I had a friend who was also looking for an apartment, so that worked out perfectly. The problem was finding a third roommate.
Our other roommate had planned to leave, but she didn't really help us find a replacement before moving out. Suddenly, we were left trying to figure out utilities, internet, and other adult responsibilities while also dealing with the possibility of having to cover her share of the bills. It was my first time having to figure all of this out on my own, and let me tell you, trying to set up internet without internet access to get into the account portal was an experience in itself!
Eventually, we found a neighbor who was interested in moving in. We talked to our landlord, everything seemed to be working out, and we thought we were in the clear. She even started moving her things in on August 1st. But before she had even finished moving in, she changed her mind and decided she wanted her own apartment instead.
We were completely blindsided.
Now we were back to square one, scrambling to find a roommate while trying to cover the extra expenses. We posted on Facebook, put up flyers, and even put posters in our windows. We tried everything, but nothing seemed to work.
Around the same time, I was also dealing with losing my main source of income. I had worked for the same nonprofit organization for three years, and leaving was already a difficult decision. I had loved that job, but things had changed, and the work environment had become increasingly difficult. After everything that happened, I knew it was time for me to leave. Unfortunately, the timing couldn't have been worse.
I had just graduated, started my internship, and was trying to figure out my next steps, all while worrying about how I was going to pay my bills and where I was going to live.
As if that wasn't enough, our landlord raised our rent by $100 with less than 30 days' notice, and there were still things in the apartment that needed fixing. We were already struggling to find a roommate, and now we had even more financial pressure.
With the end of the month approaching, my roommate and I realized we needed to start looking for a new apartment instead. We needed somewhere affordable, close to campus, and, of course, somewhere that would allow my cat. We were getting desperate. We even considered living with someone we didn't know very well because we were so determined to stay in that location.
Eventually, we shifted our focus to finding a place of our own. With less than a week left, we were touring apartments in the middle of the school week, trying to find something that fit our budget. Everything was either too expensive or came with uncertainties we weren't comfortable with.
Finally, we found a place that was actually CHEAPER than our current apartment! We were so relieved. There was just one problem: we couldn't move in until the first of the next month, but our landlord expected us out by the end of September.
We asked the new leasing office if there was any way we could move in a day early, but they wouldn't allow it without charging us an entire extra month's rent. We were already paying for October, a security deposit, and a pet fee, so paying for another month just to move in one day early wasn't an option.
We were basically at the mercy of our landlord to give us enough time to move.
I remember how terrified I felt when our landlord came over and threatened to change the locks and keep our belongings if we weren't out in time. I still had to go to work that day, and all I could think about was what would happen to my cat and our things if we couldn't get everything out.
After work, my roommate and I rushed back to the apartment and started packing. We had no outside help, so between the two of us, we loaded our cars with mattresses, furniture, and everything else we owned. After multiple rushed trips back and forth, we finally got everything moved.
And just like that, we did it!
I can't even explain the relief I felt when we finished. I was exhausted, stressed, and completely overwhelmed, but at least we had somewhere to go. I could finally breathe again.
What I Want Other College Students to Know
Looking back, I realize just how much I was dealing with during that time. I was trying to succeed in my internship, keep up with graduate school, figure out my finances, and find somewhere to live, all at once. I felt like I was expected to keep showing up and getting everything done even when I was genuinely struggling to figure out what was going to happen next.
I think that's something we don't talk about enough when it comes to college. Everyone talks about graduating, getting your degree, and starting your career, but what about everything happening behind the scenes? What about the student working multiple jobs just to afford rent? The student who is worried about losing their housing? Or the student trying to focus on an assignment while stressing about how they're going to pay their bills?
Sometimes, life gets overwhelming, and it's not because you're doing something wrong. Sometimes, you're genuinely doing the best you can with a situation you never expected to be in.
My experience also reminded me how important it is to have support. You don't always need someone to fix everything for you. Sometimes, you just need someone who will listen, help you work through your thoughts, or remind you that you're not alone in what you're going through.
As a graduate student and future social worker, this experience has made me even more passionate about working with college students. I know firsthand how much pressure we can put on ourselves to keep everything together, even when things feel like they're falling apart. I also know that you never really know what someone else is dealing with behind the scenes.
That's why I want to be someone who can offer support without judgment. Someone who understands that life outside the classroom affects what happens inside it, too.
If you're a college student going through a difficult time right now, I want you to know that you don't have to have everything figured out. You can be proud of yourself and still feel overwhelmed. You can be working toward your goals and still need help along the way. Those things can exist at the same time.
And please, don't feel like you have to do everything on your own just because you're an adult now. Trust me, I'm still figuring things out, too!
College can be stressful, adulthood can be scary, and sometimes life really does throw you one curveball after another. But with some support, a little determination, and the willingness to take things one step at a time, you can get through more than you might think.
You are not alone. And if you're struggling right now, you don't have to figure it all out by yourself.
