DS really anxious and low again this semester. Really worried about him. I think he's not cut out for university life, but if he's struggling with this, I'm very fearful for how his future is going to go. University isn't going to be more stressful for him than being in the workplace - especially if he's limited to menial jobs (due to lack of qualifications), where he's bossed around and doesn't feel much of a purpose. It's not the difficulty of the work that he's struggling with, but something (loneliness? homesickness?) is causing him to really spiral down, mentally.
Sorry, I promise this is not a stealth boast, but I think it's relevant to mention that he got >90% final grade in every subject last semester. He "knows" he could do far less work this semester and still keep the GPA he needs to keep his scholarship, but I think he's too worried about not doing well in anything to relax at all. He's never not done well in anything academic. He's not one who the grades come really easily to - he is just quite smart and works like crazy!
He really needs to have fun, and not work so hard, but he doesn't seem to be able to enjoy anything much at all while he's there, and when he is "relaxing" it's tainted by worrying that he should be working, not "wasting time when he could be studying"...
I don't know what to do/say. I'm an appalling example to him because I went totally the opposite way at university - had the time of my life, socially - and barely scraped my degree.
He's inherited mental health weakness from me, but with a work ethic that I never had back then that's preventing him from doing what he intellectually understands that he needs to do.
He's in a counselling session right now. I hope she can help. And we'll be bringing him home this evening (6+ hr round trip) to see our family doctor, as he's been having very negative thoughts and doesn't want to see someone new.
So sorry to hear about others still struggling too. 