Darnell Henderson | The Crow’s Nest
By Catherine Hicks
College students are burdened with a multitude of responsibilities – deciding on a career path, finding an internship, maintaining a high GPA, ensuring their financial aid and tuition is in order each semester and graduating on time — and these are only the ones related to school.
Outside of school, students have personal responsibilities: jobs, social lives, relationships, families and possibly children. A student’s health usually falls at the bottom of this list of priorities, leaving them susceptible to burnout.
As students amass an overwhelming number of responsibilities, it isn’t surprising that they often struggle with psychological and physical ailments that affect their wellbeing.
There are surprising statistics that outline the struggles students are facing in terms of physical and mental health:
- 24.5 percent of college students report feeling extremely tired every day of the past seven days
- An estimated 55 to 60 percent of students don’t engage in physical activity regularly (at least three times a week)
- 18.7 percent of students used a tobacco or nicotine product in the past three months
- Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young adults
- 39 percent of students experience a significant mental health issue
- On average, college students eat at a fast-food restaurant one to three times a week
In the second of our Green & Gold series, as a part of the Poynter College Media Project, The Crow’s Nest explores some of the resources available to students to improve their physical and mental wellbeing.
Counseling and Therapy Services
For many students who are struggling with mental health or feel they are unable to overcome a personal or emotional problem without assistance, therapy and counseling services can be the first step on the road to feeling happier and healthier.
Following the consolidation of the three USF campuses, students are able to utilize resources through the Counseling Center at any campus. Its website provides a detailed overview of what students can expect, before and during their appointment; including 20 to 30 minutes of online preliminary paperwork, a list of online resources and videos to assist students away from sessions and details of how services will be provided.
During COVID-19, all students will be able to utilize Telementalth services for secure video sessions.
Student Accessibility Services
For students with disabilities, SAS provides accommodations to classes and exams, including absence forgiveness, make-up work extensions, extended exam times, or any other accommodations the students physician requests which the university is able to provide.
In order to qualify, the student must provide documentation of their disability which can include any physical or mental impairment that affects the student’s life activities. According to their website, “impairments include hearing, visual, mobility, psychological, chronic medical conditions, learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders.”
For the growing number of students who struggle with any form of mental health condition, SAS accomodations can provide relief when students’ happiness and academic performance are hindered by their struggles.
Exercise
Research indicates that, for many students, during the transition to college, exercise and fitness levels decrease and are likely to remain low throughout the students’ adult lives. Regular physical exercise is linked to reducing anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.
Carving out 30 minutes a day for a yoga session, dance marathon or visiting the fitness center can vastly improve your mental clarity and overall physical health. The campus gym is now honoring new safety guidelines due to COVID-19, including mask requirements and socially distanced equipment.
Student Outreach and Support
SOS is designed to assist students that “exhibit or identify difficulties related to personal, emotional, or behavioral distress,” according to its website, by opening a case and assigning a student a case manager who is able to assist the student in finding resources and consulting them on the effectiveness of the treatment.
Within SOS is SOCAT, the Students of Concern Assistance Team, which is a behavioral intervention team that accepts referrals from teachers and students on a student who exhibits a high risk to themselves or others. Once a SOCAT report is made, a case manager will reach out to the student “to assess the risk, evaluate threat, refer and consult,” according to the website.
Tutoring
With many classes online due to COVID-19, it’s easy for students to feel disconnected from their studies, or their normal routines that help them succeed, such as in-person office hours, study groups from each class or visiting the campus library.
A resource that remains available to students is online tutoring. There are many different forms of tutoring offered to students: specific subjects, such as science, mathematics, or foreign language; online writing consultations, either live or submitted; and Smarthinking by Pearson, a 24/7 resource that is available to all USF students.
Some students tend not to prioritize their own mental and physical health, and there can be consequences for not taking care of themselves. Students should take advantage of the resources available to improve their mental and physical wellbeing.
