College is a time when students explore, learn, and grow. But it’s not all good. High pressure universities with the grueling cult of busy coupled with the insane competitiveness on every front, means stress to the max. And this stress is not always easy or manageable. This stress can and is something more for a lot of college students and leads to crippling anxiety that affects not only their academic success but their physical and mental well being.
Starting with the title, Kristen Lee writes “Your Mental Health is More Important Than Your Grades” in her article for the Huffington Post, noting an important truth. The problem is, many universities are ill-equipped to handle a student population with rising mental health issues. With counseling centers severely understaffed, and mental health resources being scarce on campuses nationwide, students are left to fend for themselves.
Lee conducted a study to learn more about what can be done in these instances:
“students demonstrated there are ways around the mental avalanche, and that intense anxiety could be redirected and even harnessed in some situations. This study revealed that prevention is critical, and getting help and engaging in proactive, healthy behaviors made a difference, and was key to avoiding extreme distress”
All well and good, but as mentioned before, mental health resources on campus are scarce, and when utilized they are limited and under funded. At the University of Southern California for example, students with university health insurance are allowed three one on one sessions with a therapist per semester. And for students in a mental health crisis or with deep rooted and untreated mental health issues, three sessions is not enough. Moreover, the waitlist to see a counselor is weeks, even months long. And to see a psychiatrist to get treatment, is a whole semester long.
Additionally, students who experience a mental health crisis lack the resources and support they need to deal with that. It begins with faculty. Faculty at many campuses are undereducated when it comes to dealing with students who need accommodations in a mental health crisis. But some student organizations are taking action. The Academic Culture Assembly at University of Southern California is pushing a resolution through student senate to get a mental health resources blurb put in every class syllabus, and is working with Disability Services and Programs to expand faculty education and accommodations for mental health.
Limited resources and time make it difficult for students, who often put their grades before their health. But Lee attempts to provide some shaky solutions:
“Know that education is a privilege: It may be hard to remember when you are battling deadlines, but across the globe, educational opportunity is not a given right-not even close. Only a small percentage of the world population hold undergraduate, let alone advanced degrees. The fact that you have access to learning is a tremendous resource to cherish[….]Keeping this perspective is vital.”
Yes, education is a privilege, but comparing or minimizing someone’s experience based on their place in the world is unfair and counterproductive to the problem. Ignoring your health and not seeking help because you compared your situation to starving, uneducated children in third world countries is not a solution. What you should keep in perspective is your own health.
Ultimately, dealing with these mental health issues can be stressful, especially when in college. But prioritizing your health is what’s truly vital in your success. While resources are limited, don’t let it deter you from the help you deserve. A’s are awesome, but your health is even awesome-er.
There was a big report published on CNN the other day discussing the mental health of students and the stresses of exam season. Although health is a priority, education really is a privilege, especially that at a top-tier university. Campuses have a range of solutions from bringing in therapy puppies to offering complimentary massages to increasing the number of peer tutoring groups in the week leading up to finals. There needs to be a balance between taking care of yourself, and not being incapable of balancing several responsibilities as is thought of our "Fluffy" generation. Therapy puppies, really? Is that what we need for health. How about we try to procrastinate less and plan in advance, as will be needed for our corporate jobs in the future.
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