College is one of the most stressful times that a young adult student goes through after leaving home for the first time. Although we thought that our days in high school were hard when we had to study all night for an exam, we truly don’t understand the complexity of college until we get here for the first time and drop back down to being a freshman.
Not only is being in college the first time where kids can’t fully depend on their parents, but it’s also a time where some are financially on their own and have to start doing things that people do in the real world.
Getting jobs, learning how to cook, knowing to clean the lint out of the dryers before throwing your clothes in and remembering to check their mailboxes in case they have some bills to pay are all examples of this. This is where adulting gets real, and you really have to start to be able to think on your own.
In 2011, The Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors took a survey that went from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31, 2012. AUCCCD’s mission was to assist directors in providing effective leadership and management of campus counseling centers. The organization promoted college student mental health awareness through research and tracked the trends.
BGSU was one of the 400 universities and colleges surveyed, and it was found that anxiety is the top presenting concern among college students with a 41.6% rate, followed by depression which is a 36.4% rate.
American Addiction Centers also did a study on college students and found that overall, 88% of college students reported their school life to be stressful. 89.2% said that the most stressful factor in college life was exams, 83.3% stated that financial issues (e.g., student loans) were the second leading factor and the third was academic performance pressure with a rate of 81.6%.
All in all, it’s safe to say that college students are stressed out. Unfortunately, not everyone knows the best coping mechanisms to deal with stress. The AAC reported that 60% of college students consume alcohol to cope with stress and 25.9% have tried using “study drugs” without a prescription.
In 2021, BGSU had one reported “mental health day” where students weren’t required to come to class and had a singular day to do catch-up work, or take the day completely to themselves.
Personally, in my opinion, one day is not enough. Students try their best to multitask in their lives. Some students take 15 to 18 or more credit hours, play sports, actively participate in organizations and get jobs. Sometimes, it’s just too much to put onto one plate. Many students are reported to skip classes because they need a break, or simply need a morning to catch up on some sleep. Unfortunately, in doing so they are penalized for missing their class which then results in their grade being lowered.
Although most professors give their students one to three days of a “free skip day,” one to three days can be used up quickly, especially since half a semester is about 75 class days.
Having more mental health days not only benefits students but also teachers who are behind on work. Busy professors who have multiple papers to read and grade while teaching one to two classes will clearly take a bit of time, and many students become antsy when a grade in Canvas hasn’t been uploaded after a while.
Professors don’t want their students missing class, and students don’t want to miss class in fear that they will be behind, but sometimes everyone needs a break. Having more official mental health days across the entire university is beneficial to everyone to take a second to breathe and destress from the struggles that life puts on us.
