TW: discusses statistics about mental health illnesses and self-harm
Welcome to Ignorance is My Privilege, a column dedicated to breaking down the ignorant bubble we live in, separating us from the very real issues in our world. Today’s topic addresses lack of access to mental health resources across college campuses and how it affects us here at Rutgers.
Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic, it is no secret that mental health among students has been on a decline. We have come back to a world that is more interconnected yet disconnected simultaneously. The most recent mental health study completed at Rutgers was the Healthy Minds Study done during the 2021-2022 academic school year, which found that 44% of students reported having symptoms of depression, 37% reported anxiety disorders and, 15% reported having considerations of suicide in the past year, which are the highest recorded rates in the survey’s history. Granted this was a study done during the virtual education period, recent stats have probably not changed significantly.
Specifically on our Rutgers campus, given that it is currently finals week, mental health issues are likely to be exacerbated. They tend to be more prevalent during exam periods because students are burnt out by this point in the semester and are struggling to juggle final papers and exams. Furthermore, because Rutgers is one of the schools that ends later into December than others, many students feel that lack of focus when they see many of their high school friends or family members back at home for the holidays.
Now, the question is, what can we do about it? While certain factors, like the university calendar, may be out of the direct control of students, it doesn’t mean that we can’t propose solutions and advocate for more mental health resources or stress-reducing events on campus, especially at this time of year. For example, many other universities have “reading weeks” which give students a full week from the last day of classes to the start of finals in order to recharge and review for them. In comparison, Rutgers students get a “reading day” or the two days that we were granted this year. Having a reading week would help the mental health of students by allowing for more time simply to synthesize a semester’s worth of content and re-organize ourselves before finals. I’m sure stress levels would be greatly reduced, and students would be less likely to procrastinate if given this extra time. Additionally, over the past few days of studying at the Alexander Library on College Ave, I observed goodie bags being passed around or an occasional coffee and snack break provided, which many students appreciated. However, if we expanded such practices to student centers, the academic buildings on College Ave, and libraries across the other campuses, more students would have access to them. Finally, if there were to be a reading week, implementing more stress-reducing events across campus, such as therapy dog sessions, meditation workshops, art therapy or movie marathons, would provide a nice break for students to relax and unwind after a long day of studying. These don’t all have to be implemented at once, but even gauging the students’ reception of such events would be greatly beneficial in ameliorating the anxiety blanket that covers the campus during finals preparations.
Additionally, aside from the above suggestions for more resources during finals week specifically, there are already some great resources and organizations available on campus for any students looking for general mental health resources. Rutgers CAPS (Counseling, ADAP & Psychiatric Services) is a great place to go for individual counseling, group psychotherapy, crisis intervention, or even for referrals to local specialists. Another resource that many students may not know about is UWill, which provides immediate access to teletherapy. Finally, if you would like to get involved to help provide such resources and be a part of these conversations on campus, I would suggest looking into Active Minds at Rutgers, which promotes mental wellness on campus through open discussions, hosting events, and they even attend a Mental Health Conference in every spring semester. Lastly, if you would like to propose any university-wide changes, you can always get involved with RUSA and propose any solutions you might have.
As this finals week and semester comes to a close, I wish you all the best of luck with any outstanding exams or papers you may have and a restful and stress-free holiday break!
Ignorance is our privilege, let’s work to be less ignorant about mental health on college campuses.