Are We Really ‘Okay’?

Are We Really ‘Okay’?

Kelsey McNamara

When I asked five different people about their physical and mental health, I received answers that may be alarming from an outside perspective, but unsurprising to other college students, including myself. I asked each person (whose names will be kept anonymous as per their request) a series of five questions pertaining to their physical and mental health. 

Upon asking if their mental health has improved or gotten worse since they have started college, the majority responded it had declined since becoming a full-time college student. They said that the combination of stressful classes and busy schedules full of homework, studying, and extra-curriculars has contributed to their worsening mental health. Following that question, I asked if their mental health was better now, compared to their first semester. All five participants said that their mental health has improved greatly this semester, as the first semester was a challenge. One participant explained that she “was not happy with my [her] classes first semester, because I [she] was unhappy with my [her] major.” Another participant said that she was grateful that this semester she has been able to “put less pressure on myself [herself] because of an easier workload thus far.”

The third question pertained to their lifestyles, as I asked if they thought they were more active here, or at home. Four out of five participants stated that they had a more active lifestyle here, because there is a lot more to do here, than at home. When asked about the most difficult aspects of staying physically healthy, three out of five participants stated that “it’s easier to have unhealthy eating habits,” contributed by the “lack of various healthy options in the dining halls” and the “late night snacking while studying and doing homework.” Lastly, I asked what they would like to see implemented here in order to improve both mental and physical health within the student body. The responses ranged from “more stress relief activities, like when the therapy dogs come” to “a second gym like the Little Bob on East Campus, because Harrington’s gym is not enough” to “a better counseling center and two mental health days a semester.”

Overall, I am not surprised by these responses. From day to day interactions, the majority of students here seem to be struggling maintaining their mental and physical health. Coming into college, I knew that it was going to be stressful and would require a lot of time and effort, but on a daily basis, I find it hard to find the time to take care of my own mental and physical health. College students are expected to maintain a constant level of productivity to stay on top of their classes, and suffer the chance of falling behind if they take one day to focus on their own mental or physical health just by cutting down on the work they are doing. Ideally, college should be a place where students can not only learn about their major, but also how to properly take care of themselves mentally and physically while having a busy lifestyle, but the college education system makes it hard to do so.