Once Syllabus Week comes to an end and February begins, the stresses of college life begin to really take a toll on some students. I know that this week, my classes are full of so many projects, tests, and essays that the circle under my eyes are beginning to become a dead giveaway that I am, like most college students, constantly stressed. Unlike some students, I have managed to find some things that make it possible for me to release this stress. I've figured out ways to set aside time from my busy schedule to relax and refresh after some of my harder days and set back and appreciate some of my easier days. Unfortunately, it is not always so easy for others to manage this stress.
I taught a freshman transition class the Fall of my sophomore year that acted as a segway for incoming students in an attempt to adjust them to college life. We talked about how to study for a big exam or the importance of office hours, but something was always missing from our class discussions. I've always been the type of person who cannot under any circumstances bottle things up. No matter how hard I try to push down my feelings of negativity in order to try to not let sadness or anxiety ruin my day, I just can't figure out how to do so.
I have my people here at school who I can go to. My mother, sister, even my best friends from home are always a phone call away. But up until I took on this freshman mentor position, I didn't realize how many people do not believe they have someone they can go to when they are feeling sad or just need to talk about something that has been bothering them. I have found college to be cold at times, difficult to navigate on your own. Some people, however, are not as blessed to have a strong support system behind them. They fall into depressions, they see themselves as useless, they lose themselves in the chaos.
As a mentor, I tried my hardest to connect with my students as much as possible. I wanted to be the person that they could trust with their concerns, the person who could make them feel secure academically and mentally. The American College Health Association has recorded that 45% of college students battle depression in their everyday life and to me, that number is too high. With counseling so available to students on all campuses, you would wonder why the 45% does not seek treatment for this. From my experience, I find that there is something that is not transparent about counseling centers on college campuses.
Students need to feel comfortable right from the start of their freshman year and there needs to be a bigger focus on making sure that students are informed on how to get the help they need when they need it. I am a strong believer in the fact that everyone, no matter how strong they appear on the outside, is fighting a battle. Campuses around the world need to become more comfortable with the idea that mental health is just as important as physical health and it is not something people should be uncomfortable with hiding. I believe there is a need to implement mental health awareness and general education on how to take care of oneself on an emotional level in freshman transition classes as well as all over campus. No one should be fighting this battle alone.
