“I thought when I got here, I would meet so many new people just from my hallway,” said DU freshman Rebecca Murabito. “But the first week I was here, no one was coming out of their rooms.”
Freshmen on campus have begun to share their experiences on campus during this unprecedented time. Studies have revealed two out of three college students felt anxious, and 70% of teens rated depression and anxiety as a major problem before the start of COVID-19. Now, due to changes in student life, students must learn to cope with the loss of campus traditions and community as well as feelings of isolation. Research on these changes show 91% of college students now feel anxious and 80% are lonely and isolated.
“I’ve been more nervous when it comes to talking with new people and trying to put myself out there––I never really struggled with that in the past,” said Murabito.
The Clarion spoke with several students living on campus this year to hear about students’ individual struggles or successes with mental health. From all the responses, the most important takeaway was that freshmen are not alone and experience similar challenges as one another. Their core messages were the same: being social and finding a community on campus is hard, and the experience of being a college student during a pandemic was not anticipated.
Freshmen feel the biggest challenges are finding friends and feeling scared to socialize with other students. Even though students desire to follow the safety regulations staff and administration have put in place, the physical distancing and isolation is not easy.
These COVID-19 preventative measures have shown to be connected with an increase in depression, anxiety and suicide rates. Loneliness can contribute to other medical conditions such as heart disease and cancer as well. The onset of these mental health risks is hard to remedy during a time when keeping your distance is how to maintain the safety of those around you.
Coupled with less social interaction, students are also feeling the impact of having moved away from home for the first time.
“It’s hard being away from my best friends because those are the people that know me best,” said one anonymous DU student.
The inability to pursue a community in a new place leaves students feeling like they cannot compensate for the loss of close friends and family they grew up with constant access to.
“I think I had different expectations because I was like, ‘Yes, I am going to meet all of these people and have all of these friends, and it’s going to be awesome,’” said freshman Kaci Audette. For Audette, these expectations were not met. However, she said she is still “going strong” with a small group of five friends.
Students expressed it was a rough transition shifting their expectations about college to accommodate the reality. They reported struggling with anxiety disorders worsened by trying to initiate conversations with people from behind the mask.
“Meeting new people is really difficult,” said the previous anonymous student. “It is even more awkward in times like this because we have to directly walk up to someone. In class, we don’t do group projects, [and] we don’t sit next to someone [because] they have to be six feet away from us. The idea of having to [directly approach others] is terrifying.”
All interviewees revealed either personally struggling or knowing someone close to them who struggles with anxiety, depression or both. Many take advantage of therapy services and medical treatment, and they acknowledge the positive impact of self-care and coping strategies when things become difficult.
The impact of schoolwork on mental health was present and rising even before the pandemic. Now, college students everywhere are facing brand new challenges. Nationwide studies show the use of health services on campus are decreasing. This could be due to fewer students residing on campus or hesitancy toward telehealth options.
“I really love working out, [and] I definitely think it’s a good way [to cope with stress], said Murabito. “I like to make sure that I take time to myself, read a book or watch a favorite TV show. Talking with friends and family from home is also nice. It brings you back to a sense of comfort and place where you can feel safe.”
Listening to music and journaling are among the most frequently used strategies. Freshman Katherine Novicoff even said that simple things like washing their face and brushing their teeth were beneficial to maintaining a positive routine.
“I feel really lucky because [my RA] always made it clear that he is there for us and trying to plan things for us to do and build community with one another,” said an anonymous freshman in Nagel. They hope that having positive experiences like this will help others alleviate feelings of isolation.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, DU’s Health and Counseling Center offers a variety of counseling services. These include same-day appointments, as well as individual, group, trauma and crisis therapy. Appointments can be booked through the MyHealth portal.
The Center for Advocacy, Prevention and Empowerment (CAPE) is also available for support and provides advocacy for survivors of sexual assault, relationship violence and harassment.
