The mental health of college students is an increasingly prevalent issue in recent years, due to several publicized suicides on college campuses. This has prompted universities to up their resources in assisting students with their mental health, but many programs are still lacking. The University lacks programming to help students manage the stress at the close of the semester. Particularly during exam weeks, many of the University’s resources struggle to provide for such a large student body. For this reason, the University should offer additional programs — beyond those already offered through Counseling and Psychological Services during exam weeks — to help students manage stress and anxiety.
On-Grounds office hours are a key way CAPS could increase outreach during exam weeks. This would make the resources more accessible to students during times of heightened stress. Unless the situation is an emergency, students must make an appointment with CAPS via their phone line and same-day appointments are usually not available. Additionally, to make an appointment, students must complete a pre-screening over the phone with a CAPS clinician. Though this system is likely designed to streamline and efficiently schedule a high level of student demand, it does not make for quick accessibility. By offering open office hours, CAPS could provide services to more students and promote mental health during a tough stretch of time. And a location on Central Grounds would make the resource accessible to students studying in University buildings and libraries. For students who want to address their mental health concerns in a more private setting, the original CAPS resources would still be available.
Though some might object to the extra cost of additional office hours, the cost could be mitigated through the use of a formal peer counseling system. A study by the University of Botswana found peer counseling can be as successful as traditional counseling, as it provides students with a more informal, comfortable environment. Other universities have implemented peer counseling programs to take some of the pressure off traditional counseling staff. At Ohio State University, the peer counseling program specializes in students who have trouble adjusting to collegiate life and the stresses it brings. The University has a peer health educator group that holds a stress relief study break during finals week, but the group’s focus is broad. It involves programs related to sexual health, alcohol, drugs and nutrition, in addition to stress relief. While peer health educators provide some student-to-student attention, a group dedicated solely to mental health awareness could reach additional students. The large group of volunteer peer counselors would be trained and supervised by CAPS employees and would be able to refer more severe cases to professionals.
Additional critics may argue students should just toughen up so the University can allocate resources elsewhere. However, a Time article on college and mental health stated, “Seventy five percent of mental illnesses are onset by age 24 and 43.8 million adults, about one in five, experienced a mental illness in 2012, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.” Based on this statistic, mental health should be a more important issue than ever to address on college campuses. “Toughening up” will not change the early onset of mental illnesses.
Also, in the digital age, it is easier to mask mental health issues through the use of social media. In 2014, Madison Holleran, a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania, killed herself. There was little evidence of her anxiety to any but those closest to her. She was a varsity athlete and a good student, and she frequently posted photos on Instagram that showed her enjoying her college experience. She also felt inadequate compared to classmates and friends on social media. Photos make it easy to broadcast a happy face and hide the anxieties present in everyday life. Holleran’s parents are trying to convey to young people struggling with their mental health that, “It's okay to show people you're not okay,” according to ESPN. For students with mental illness, a bad test score can be a breaking point, which only emphasizes the importance of a program like this. A focus on mental health during exams would aid all students and encourage active conversation about mental health awareness on college campuses.
Carly Mulvihill is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at c.mulvihill@cavalierdaily.com.
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