Stress comes from every aspect of life in college whether you’re a commuter or resident you’ll experience daily stress from classes, relationships, and extra-curriculars. Last week was suicide prevention week and there weren’t any events occurring that promote mental health.
The counseling center is always open to students during the week and they are hosting a mental health screening day in October, but I think there should be more of an effort by the administration to host several events surrounding mental and encouraging students to practice mental health. One or two events a semester isn’t beneficial. If students have class or work that day, they can’t attend.
As someone who is grateful for the counseling center and the new perspectives given to me by my counselor, I understand the feeling of awkwardness before setting up your first appointment because counseling isn’t normalized. There isn’t any up front judgment surrounding counseling, but I can feel the tension in the air when I say I attend counseling sessions. The push for more events surrounding mental health comes from experience, without the mental health screening day I probably wouldn’t have set up an appointment with the counseling center.
Also, the awareness can help many students know the difference between being depressed and being sad. There are signs that distinguish the two, but there are students who don’t understand them, and they aren’t taking proper steps that address depression in a healthy way. From stress eating to coffee binges to irregular sleeping schedules.
As college students, people are coming from different backgrounds where they’ve learned or developed several types of coping mechanisms and these coping mechanisms aren’t always the most effective. Students will continue to practice these coping mechanisms due to a lack of knowledge about them being toxic and ineffective.
The sad truth is suicidal thinking isn’t rare on college campuses. Suicide is the second most common death among college students. Every major has its high demands some more than others. The programs here are demanding and rigorous, which is beneficial for the world outside these school walls, but most students don’t go to class and go home because clubs and organizations provide students with networking opportunities that are important to success. Not to mention the individual obligations many students have off campus that require a lot time and energy.
Sure, the staff is open to listen to problems, but through school funded events the importance of mental health can reach a broader audience of students who aren’t aware. Through awareness students will pay closer attention to their ways of coping with the stress that comes along with being a college student.
The mental health screening event that occurs once a semester is great, but it simply isn’t enough. Every discussion surrounding mental health doesn’t have to be a huge event it’s just has to have an impact.