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Mental Health and Wellness

The University of Arkansas Rich Mountain values the importance of student mental health and well-being. Mental health is equally as important as physical health and a key influence on student academic success. Mental health is vital to cope with daily challenges, recognize your personal strengths, and learn most effectively. Below you will find mental health resources and an anonymous mental health referral form.

Resources for Overall Mental Health:

Sleep and mental health share a close relationship. Poor sleep can negatively impact mental health, and mental health struggles can cause disturbances with sleep. Inadequate sleep in college students can often lead to poor academic performance, irritability, brain fog, and depression (Buboltz et al., 2021). The CDC recommends that adults 18 and over should aim to sleep 7 or more hours per night Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). If you are experiencing difficulties with sleep, you are not alone. In studies of college students, 60% reported poor quality of sleep (Lund et al., 2010) and 73% of college students deal with at least one form of sleep problem (Buboltz et al., 2021).

If you are struggling with sleep, here are a few evidence-based methods to help you out:

  • Sleep Friendly Environment: Creating a designated space for sleep can help to improve sleep quality. To do this, reduce the temperature in your room, reduce sounds such as a tv or loud music playing, and make your room as dark as possible. Try to use your bed only for sleep (Enam et al., 2023). It can sometimes be more comfortable to study or sit in your bed to watch tv, but doing these activities in bed may cause your brain to associate being in bed with these tasks and increase difficulty falling or staying asleep. Using sleep aids such as weighted blankets, eye masks, and white noise machines can also assist in sleep quality (Ho & Siu, 2018).

  • Sleep Routine: For optimal sleep, it is important to create a habit. This includes waking up and going to bed at the same time each day including weekends. Try to avoid eating meals and snacks after 8:00 pm (Enam et al., 2023). Incorporate relaxation techniques into your bedtime routine. This may include taking a warm bath, yoga, reading a book, listening to calming music, meditation, or brain dumping (The Ottawa Hospital, 2015). Brain dumping is a free writing type of activity to unload your brain of anxiety, stress, emotions, and worries about the future. Try to reduce the amount of time you spend using digital devices before bed. Aim to turn off your devices 30-45 minutes prior to bedtime (The Ottawa Hospital, 2015).

  • Daily Routine: There are several areas you can prioritize throughout the day to improve your sleep habits. Limit caffeine consumption later in the day. Caffeine is not only in soda, tea, and coffee but also in foods such as chocolate. Take naps earlier in the day instead of later in the evening. Try to nap for no more than 45 minutes. Keep a sleep journal. Exploring current sleep habits can help you to discover areas of needed improvement (The Ottawa Hospital, 2015).

  • Physical Activity: Exercising has multiple health benefits including improving the quality of sleep. Participating in exercise 2 or more days per week can help to reduce insomnia and make winding down at the end of the day easier (Mbous et al., 2022). Research suggests that even light exercise, such as walking, improves sleep quality in young adults (Wang & Boros, 2021).

Additional Sleep Resources

 

References

Buboltz, W. C., Brown, F., & Soper, B. (2001). Sleep habits and patterns of college students: A preliminary study. Journal of American College Health, 50(3), 131-135.

https://doi.org/10.1080/07448480109596017.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21186447/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, September). How much sleep do I need? https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html

Enam, N., Pacuku, K., & Grampurohit, N. (2023). Occupational therapy and sleep management: Advantages of telehealth services during COVID-19. SIS Quarterly Practice Connections. https://www.aota.org/publications/sis-quarterly/home-community-health-sis/hchsis-5-23

Ho, E. & Siu, A. (2018). Occupational therapy practice in sleep management: A review of conceptual models and research evidence. Occupational Therapy International, 2018, 8637498.
https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/8637498

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6087566/

Lund, H. G., Reider, B. D., Whiting, A. B., & Prichard, J. R. (2010). Sleep patterns and predictors of disturbed sleep in a large population of college students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 46(2), 124-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.06.016.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20113918/

Mbous, Y., Nili, M., Mohamed, R., & Dwibedi, N. (2022). Psychosocial correlates of insomnia among college students. Preventing Chronic Disease, 19, 220060. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd19.220060 https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2022/22_0060.htm#:~:text=The%20National%20Sleep%20Foundation%20and,sleep%20per%20night%20(2).

The Ottawa Hospital. (2015, March). Occupational therapy guide to better sleep. https://www.ottawahospital.on.ca/en/documents/2017/08/p1186-guide-better-sleep-english-mar-2014.pdf/#:~:text=Try%20to%20go%20to%20sleep,day%2C%20even%20on%20the%20weekends.&text=Turn%20down%20lights%20during%20the,ready%20for%20rest%20and%20sleep.&text=Take%20a%20warm%20bath%20at%20bedtime.

Wang, F., & Boros, S. (2021). The effect of daily walking exercise on sleep quality in healthy young adults. Sport Sciences for Health, 17, 393-401. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-020-00702-x https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11332-020-00702-x

Time management is a concept that involves planning out time spent during the day on needed activities in order to improve productivity and academic success (Akinfolarin, 2017; Razali et al., 2018). Research shows that implementing time management strategies can improve mental health of college students by reducing stress, increasing sleep quality, and improving anxiety and depression symptoms (Wang & Wang, 2018). Learning time management skills has also been shown to improve ability to manage emotions and satisfaction with one’s daily activities (Holmefur et al., 2019). Adding time management skills into your routine as a college student now can also improve your future productivity and job performance once you enter the workforce (Aeon & Faber, 2021).

Below are some tips and resources for improving time management:

  • Make A Schedule: Making a schedule can be accomplished by using a planner or calendar. Important things to place on this schedule include assignment due date, exam dates, appointments, and events in your personal life. You can also use a schedule to break up large tasks and set smaller due dates for yourself before a deadline to ensure completion and eliminate procrastination (Student Mental Health Network, n.d.).

  • Use To-Do Lists: Making to-do lists is a great method to make sure you do not forget to complete needed tasks. It can be satisfying or motivating to check off items on your to-do list as you accomplish them throughout the day. Many formats for to-do lists exist including dividing lists up daily or weekly or utilizing paper versus digital methods. Benefits of digital to-do lists include that they are easier to keep up with and can easily be edited. To organize tasks and make them more manageable, it is helpful to separate out to-do lists based on personal and student life. It is also important to limit the number of tasks on your daily list to a number of items that are realistically accomplishable for that day (Schrager, 2022).

  • Prioritize Important Tasks: When creating your to-do list or making a schedule, it is critical that you prioritize important tasks. Understanding what needs the most time or attention is key to being successful in college and a more efficient student (Student Mental Health Network, n.d.). A helpful hint when prioritizing tasks is to give more time to tasks which have the closest deadline and require the most time spent to complete them.

  • Give Yourself Breaks and Rest Time: No one is able to work all the time and not take any breaks. It is important for students to add rest time into their schedules and incorporate rest breaks into study sessions. Active rest breaks during studying can have a positive influence on health and concentration. In a study introducing standing breaks during 90 minute lectures on a college campus, more than 75% of students reported increased concentration, motivation, well-being, and receptiveness following standing breaks (Paulus et al., 2021). Taking breaks that you set before you study can help to improve your mood and complete tasks quicker when compared to just taking breaks when you feel tired of studying or working on something (Biwer et al., 2023). The Pomodoro technique is a study method often recommended to students. This method involves first choosing what assignment to work on, working for 25 minutes, taking a 5 minute break, and taking a longer break around 15-30 minutes every 4 times you complete a 25 minute cycle (Mandal, 2020).

  • Say No Sometimes: It is important to be able to say no to others if you have too much going on. When attending college, you may find yourself wanting to attend various events on campus or off, go to the gym, and hang out with various friend groups. Make sure to find a balance between the amount of commitments you have and the amount of time you must spend working on school assignments, so you do not become burnt out (Student Mental Health Network, n.d.). It may seem tempting to make plans the night before a big assignment or test is due, but you may need to reserve that time to make sure you can study or touch up last minute details. To help you stay focused while working on assignments or studying, turn off your notifications or put your phone in Do Not Disturb mode (North Shore Community College, n.d.).

Additional Time Management Resources

 

References

Aeon, B., & Faber, A. (2021). Does time management work? A meta analysis. PLoS One, 16(1), e0245066. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal/pone.0245066

Akinfolarin, V. (2017). Time management strategies as a panacea for principals’ administrative effectiveness in secondary schools in Enugu State, Nigeria. Journal for Studies in Management and Planning, 3(9), 22–31. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED577707.pdf

Biwer, F., Wiradhany, W., & Egbrink, M. (2023). Understanding effort regulation: Comparing ‘Pomodoro’ breaks and self-regulated breaks. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(S2), 353-367. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12593

Holmefur, M., Lidstrom-Holmqvist, K., Roshanay, A., Arvidsson, P., White, S., & Janeslatt, G. (2019). Pilot study of let’s get organized: A group intervention for improving time management. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 73(5), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2019.032631

Mandal, A. (2020). The pomodoro technique: An effective time management tool. National Institute of Health. https://science.nichd.nih.gov/confluence/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=160956640#:~:text=Choose%20your%20assignment%2Fwork%20to,for%20every%20four%20pomodoro%20intervals

North Shore Community College. (n.d.). The importance of time management. https://www.northshore.edu/engagement/files/time-management-guide.pdf

Paulus, M., Kunkel, J., Schmidt, S., Bachert, P., Wasche, H., Neumann, R., & Woll, A. (2021). Standing breaks in lectures improve university students’ self-perceived physical, mental, and cognitive conditions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(8), 4204. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18084204

Razali, S., Rusiman, M., Gan, W., & Arbin, N. (2018). The impact of time management on students’ academic achievement. Journal of Physics, 995, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/995/1/012042

Schrager, S. (2022). Improving time management through modern-day to-do lists. Family Practice Management, 29(1), 5. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/issues/2022/0100/p5.html

Student Mental Health Network. (n.d.). Navigating first year. https://rise.articulate.com/share/l2uf5pDdQW6H0f6yA8aL0x2q7g5YszVH#/

Wang, P., & Wang, X. (2018). Effect of time management training on anxiety, depression, and sleep. Iranian Journal of Public Health, 47(12), 1822-1831. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6379615/

Being a college student, sometimes it can feel like you are stuck inside studying or working on assignments most of your day. To improve your mental health, you can prioritize spending time outdoors. Being outside and interacting with nature can help to reduce stress, anxiety and depression which are common mental health conditions impacting college students (Trevino et al., 2022). It is also beneficial in the areas of attention, memory, sleep, emotional stability, and quality of life (Buckley et al., 2018). Spending as little as 10 minutes of either sitting or walking outside in nature supports college-aged student mental health (Meredith et al., 2020). The optimal time spent outdoors for mental health is 10 to 20 minutes doing both active and more sedentary activities (Ibes & Forestell, 2022). Adding this short amount of time into your busy college schedule is an easy way to support your mental health.

Here are a few ways to incorporate the outdoors into your time on campus at UA Rich Mountain:

  • Eat lunch outside the student union: Eating lunch outside is a good way to fit the outdoors into your schedule if you do not have a lot of free time. Eating outside can have a positive impact on your overall health. A research study focusing on eating in nature, revealed that in a natural environment, participants were more relaxed and chose healthier food options more easily (Vanhatalo et al., 2022) .
  • Walk on the walking paths around the water on campus: Walking on the paths on campus can be used as a way to take a break from studying or to just get some extra movement into your daily routine. Compared with walking in other areas, such as on a track or downtown, walking in nature-based areas displays larger impacts on reducing anxiety and negative thoughts (Ma et al., 2023).
  • Play an outside sport on campus: On campus at UA Rich Mountain, there are many outside sports you can play. These include sports such as sand volleyball, basketball, and pickleball. Playing an outside sport on campus can help you to make connections with other students who enjoy the same things you do. Making friends who attend the same school as you is beneficial to support your academic performance by reducing stress and increasing your emotional support from others around you (Alotaibi, 2023).
  • Do homework / study outside: Working on school assignments or studying outdoors is a way to add nature into your routine without changing how you currently manage your time. Benefits of working on assignments and studying outside include increased problem solving skills, energy, and mood (University of Arizona Global Campus, 2023).

Additional Outdoor Resources

 

References

Alotaibi, T., Alkhalifah, K., Alhumaidan, N., Almutiri, W., Alsaleh, S., Alrashdan, F., Amutariri, H., Sabi, A., Almawash, A., Alfaifi, M., & Al-Mourgi, M. (2023). The benefits of friendships in academic settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Cureus, 15(12), e50946. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.50946

Buckley, R., Brough, P., & Westaway, D. (2018). Bringing outdoor therapies into mainstream mental health. Frontiers in Public Health, 6, 1-4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00119

Ibes, D., & Forestell, C. (2022). The role of campus greenspace and meditation on college students’ mood disturbance. Journal of American College Health, 70(1), 99-106. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2020.1726926

Ma, J., Lin, P., & Williams, J. (2023). Effectiveness of nature-based walking interventions in improving mental health in adults: A systematic review. Current Psychology, 43, 9521-9539. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05112-z

Meredith, G., Rakow, D., Eldermine, E., Masen, C., Shelly, S., & Sachs, N. (2020). Minimum time dose in nature to positively impact the mental health of college-aged students and how to measure it: A scoping review. Environmental Psychology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02942

Trevino, J., Monsur, M., Lindquist, C., & Simpson, C. (2022). Student and nature interactions and their impact on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(9), 5030. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095030

University of Arizona Global Campus. (2023). Studying outside vs. inside | The pros and cons. https://www.uagc.edu/blog/studying-outside-vs-inside-the-pros-cons

Vanhatalo, S., Liedes, H., & Pennanen, K. (2022). Nature ambience in a lunch restaurant has the potential to evoke positive emotions, reduce stress, and support healthy food choices and sustainable behavior: A field experiment among Finnish customers. Foods, 11(7), 964. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11070964

Self-care involves all intentional actions an individual takes to care for themself (Withers, n.d.). It is often explained as care “provided for you, by you” (Fort Garry Women’s Resource Centre, n.d., p. 2). To promote mental health, self-care activities should be practiced on a regular basis. Self-care can help college students to improve their mental health by increasing their ability to regulate emotions (Zhong & Xie, 2023). It is also beneficial in the areas of increasing productivity, reducing stress, preventing burn out, achieving school-life balance, and improving overall health (Mindpeace, 2018). Self-care is broken down in many ways from various resources. The main four areas relating to self-care are mental, physical, spiritual, and environmental.

Below are a few ways to practice self-care in each area:

Mental: Mental self-care includes purposeful activities to improve your psychological, emotional, or social health.

  • To practice mental self-care:
    • Find a therapist that you enjoy talking to
    • Join online support groups for others experiencing similar situations
    • Keep a journal
    • Take a break from social media
    • Participate in more activities in the community or on campus
    • Listen to podcasts
    • Read books
    • Maintain contacts with loved ones while you are away at school
    • Spend time with friends you enjoy being around
    • Allow yourself to feel your emotions (laugh, cry, etc)
    • Complete positive self-talk
    • Say “no” when you need to
    • Call a friend you have not talked to in a while
    • Practice good spending habits with your money
    • Join a student organization on campus
    • Reward yourself for accomplishments
    • Be creative (draw, paint, color, etc)
    • Focus on your breathing
    • Spend time with pets
    • Break up large tasks into smaller more manageable ones
    • (Kansas City Kansas Community College, n.d.; Mindpeace, 2018; Oregon State University, n.d.; Pennsylvania State University Altoona, 2022)

Physical: Physical self-care is engaging in self-care activities that benefit your physical health, or the health of your body.

  • To physical self-care:
    • Go outside
    • Create a sleep schedule and routine
    • Eat healthy foods
    • Eat on a regular basis (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
    • Drink plenty of water
    • Reduce your caffeine intake
    • Exercise to release excess energy
    • Seek regular medical care
    • Take naps when you are tired
    • (Kansas City Kansas Community College, n.d.; Mindpeace, 2018; Oregon State University, n.d.; Pennsylvania State University Altoona, 2022)

Spiritual: Spiritual self-care is providing care to your soul through finding purpose, or meaning, in your life (Mindpeace, 2018).

  • To practice spiritual self-care:
    • Practice meditation or mindfulness
    • Express gratitude or self-reflection in journaling
    • Spend time in nature
    • Participate in a spiritual community
    • Do yoga
    • Volunteer for a special cause
    • Attend workshops or retreats
    • (Mindpeace, 2018; Pennsylvania State University Altoona, 2022)

Environmental: Environmental self-care is taking care of your surroundings. Having a clean area to live, study, and relax in can help you to be more productive and feel like you have less responsibilities building up.

  • To practice environmental self-care:
    • Declutter your environment (room, study area, backpack, etc)
    • Reduce your time on digital devices
    • Make your bed
    • Create a chore list to ease the declutter process
    • Recycle, reuse, and donate no longer needed item
    • Dim the lights or use a lamp instead of harsh overhead lighting
    • Decorate your home with items that bring you joy
    • Use calming scents such as lavender in your home
    • Keep a cozy blanket close by in areas where you like to relax
    • (Mindpeace, 2018)

Additional Self-Care Resources:

 

References

Fort Garry Women’s Resource Centre. (n.d.). Coping and self-care. https://fgwrc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Coping-and-Self-care.pdf

Kansas City Kansas Community College. (n.d.). Self care for student success. https://www.kckcc.edu/files/docs/student-resources/kckcc_selfcare_book.pdf

Mindpeace. (2018). Self-care and resiliency tips for the incoming college student. https://mindpeacecincinnati.com/wp-content/uploads/Self-Care-Resiliency-for-College-2018-R1-4.10.18.pdf

Oregon State University. (n.d.). Dam good self-care packet. https://success.oregonstate.edu/sites/success.oregonstate.edu/files/LearningCorner/Tools/dgsc_4-page_-_fill_-_20.pdf

Pennsylvania State University Altoona. (2022). Mental wellness for students. https://altoona.psu.edu/files/pdf/58621/2023/08/08/mental-wellness-students-cards.pdf

Withers, T. (n.d.). Self-care toolkit for university students. Western Student Experience. https://studentexperience.uwo.ca/docs/Self-Care%20Toolkit%20for%20University%20Students.pdf

Zhong, B., & Xie, L. (2023). Making “joy pie” to stay joyful: self-care interventions alleviate college students’ mental health challenges. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 3823. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053823

Mindfulness is the ability to be present in the moment, aware of what you are doing, and not be overwhelmed by what is occurring around you (Mindful Staff, 2020). It involves being purposeful and without judgment in the current time (Rava & Hotez, 2021). Noteworthy mental health benefits for college students have been associated with mindfulness practice, such as improved symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression. It also promotes positive health habits, increased awareness of the body, and enhances overall physical health (Rava & Hotez, 2021; Szucs et al., 2021). Additionally, college students who perform well in school typically display more mindfulness traits (Alomari, 2023). There are three main mechanisms mindfulness practice utilizes to foster positive thoughts including self-awareness, controlling attention, and regulation of emotions (Pikul, 2022). If you are looking for a way to improve your mental health, mindfulness can be a good place for you to start.

Here are a few techniques to utilize to practice mindfulness:

1. STOP Technique: This calming mindfulness technique is one that can be completed anywhere. It consists of four steps in which each step is aligned with a letter in the acronym STOP (Byers, 2021; The Wellness Society, n.d.).

    • S - Stop
      • Stop what you are doing and what you are thinking about.
    • T - Take a breath
      • Breath in and out. Focus on your breathing and try to make sure it is regular. Use breathing techniques to calm your breathing if needed.
    • O - Observe
      • Observe your thoughts, emotions, and what your body is doing. Is your body physically reacting to the situation? What is going on in the environment around you?
    • P - Proceed
      •  Proceed doing with intention what you need to do. Do you need to focus on a certain task right now? Would setting a timer help you to be more productive?

2. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Technique: This grounding mindfulness technique is quick and can be completed discreetly anywhere. It involves using the 5 senses to calm the body down (Jonah, n.d.).

    • 5 - What are 5 things you see?
      • Ex: A photo on the wall
    • 4 - What are 4 things you physically feel?
      • Ex: The ground on your feet
    • 3 - What are 3 things you hear?
      • Ex: The air from the air vent
    • 2 - What are 2 things you smell?
      • Ex: The candle you are burning
    • 1 - What is 1 thing you taste?
      • Ex: The gum you are chewing

3. Journaling Technique: Using expressive writing to clear the mind can help college students reduce intrusive and stressful thoughts and improve working memory (Klein & Boals, 2001). Mindfulness journaling can offer you a way of releasing self judgment, exploring what you notice throughout the day, and navigating your thoughts (Tucker, 2020).

Example prompts:

    • What made you feel happy today?
    • What are you most grateful for?
    • What are my 3 top fears? Are these holding me back?

See the additional mindfulness resources below for more journaling prompts.

4. Breathing Technique: Practicing breathing can help to lower your heart rate, decrease blood pressure, and induce relaxation (Byers, 2021; Cleveland Clinic, 2022). Diaphragmatic breathing, or deep breathing, is a commonly used method.

To practice this breathing type:

    • Use your nose to breathe all the way in while holding one hand on your upper chest and the other below your ribs.
    • Breath in slowly, keeping the hand on your chest as still as possible while the other hand moves as your stomach expands.
    • Hold your breath for 2 seconds.
    • Breathe out using your mouth and small open lips like you are blowing out a candle. As you breathe out, tighten your stomach muscles to fully release all air.

5. Body Scan Technique: Using body scanning is a great way to see how and where emotions manifest physically in the body. It can help to stop a panic attack from getting too severe if you are able to recognize physical changes in the body prior to the onset of the attack (S. Pauley-Horton, personal communication, May 22, 2024). Complete a body scan by closing your eyes and starting at your head going all the way to your toes. Focus on how your entire body is feeling one area at a time (Cleveland Clinic, 2023).

Additional Mindfulness Resources:

 

References

Alomari, H. (2023). Mindfulness and its relationships to academic achievement among university students. Frontiers in Education, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1179584

Byers, S. (2021). Seven mindfulness techniques for college students. Southern Utah University. https://www.suu.edu/blog/2021/10/mindfulness-techniques-students.html

Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Diaphragmatic breathing. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9445-diaphragmatic-breathing

Cleveland Clinic. (2023). Body scan meditation for beginners: How to make the mind / body connection. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/body-scan-meditation Jonah, A. (n.d.). 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise. Youth and Family Therapy. https://youthandfamilytherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/5-Senses-Grounding-Technique.pdf

Klein, K., & Boals, A. (2001). Expressing writing can increase working memory capacity. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 130, 520-533. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0096-3445.130.3.520

Mindful Staff. (2020). What is mindfulness? Mindful. https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness/

Pikul, C. (2022). For young adults, mindfulness habits for life and the promise of better, mental, physical health. Brown University. https://www.brown.edu/news/2022-04-12/mindful-college-student

Rava, J., & Hotez, E. (2021). Mindfulness and wellbeing among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative analysis of emergent themes and concerns. Cureus, 13(12), e20755. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.20755

Szucs, K., Lord, R., Libunao, R., Dyer, J., & Lees, M. (2021). Mindfulness meditation to improve body awareness. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 75(2), 751251531. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2021.75S2-PO313

The Wellness Society. (n.d.). Reducing overwhelm with the stop technique. https://thewellnesssociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/STOP-Technique-PDF.pdf

Tucker, A. (2020). How to start a mindful journaling practice. Mindful. https://www.mindful.org/how-to-start-a-mindful-journaling-practice/

Coping Skills, or coping mechanisms, are the tools an individual uses to deal with stress inducing situations that may help them to take action, face the situation, or problem solve (National Cancer Institute, n.d.). Leading causes of stress in college students include those related to academic work and the associated responsibilities of being a student (Barker et al., 2018). How college students use coping skills to cope with stressors can have a significant impact on their overall well-being (Alkhawaldeh et al., 2023). A few of the most common coping skills used by college students include sleeping, playing sports, spending time with friends, and watching movies (Sajid et al., 2017).

Below are a few tips to finding the best coping strategies for you as a college student:

  • Avoid unhealthy coping strategies: Some students choose more healthy coping skills, whereas some students tend to gravitate towards unhealthy coping behaviors (Alkhawaldeh et al., 2023). Examples of unhealthy coping skills may include substance use, overeating, procrastination, excessive sleep, withdrawal, self-harm or aggression (Therapist Aid LLC, 2018). Unhealthy coping skills that college students tend to engage in include denial, substance use, withdrawal, disengagement, and self-blame. Disengagement and self-blame are used more commonly with higher stress levels (Sajid et al., 2017). Unhealthy coping mechanisms may reduce stress short-term, but not long-term creating a repetitive cycle of seeking short-term solutions over and over for a long-term issue (Thompson et al., 2022).
  • Use Active & Problem-Solving Coping Strategies: Active coping strategies involve using one’s own internal abilities and resources to control a stressor (American Psychological Association, 2018). Problem-solving coping strategies involve approaching a stressor by attempting to decrease or eliminate it (American Psychological Association, 2023). Using active coping strategies, such as problem-solving, planning, being proactive when stressful situations occur, or reframing the situation, can help college students to lessen the duration and intensity of stress (Thompson et al., 2022). Using problem-solving specifically to cope can protect mental health and support well-being. Problem-solving encompasses identifying problems, creating a solution, implementing a plan to address the problem, monitoring progress, and evaluating the outcomes after (Shewchuk et al., 2000).
  • Use Social Support: To be most successful in college, it is important to establish and develop strong friendships and connect with your peers on campus (Alkhawaldeh et al., 2023; Jarboe, 2021). In studies on college students, social support is considered a functional emotion-focused coping strategy that many college students use (Eisenbarth, 2019). Students who cultivate strong connections with peers on campus tend to exhibit better coping mechanisms and greater resilience compared to those who prefer a more solitary path or primarily rely on relationships with friends and family from home (Jarboe, 2021). 
  • Get more “green time” and less “screen time”: Being outside or getting “green time” can help to reduce stress, anxiety and depression which are common mental health conditions impacting college students (Browning et al., 2021; Trevino et al., 2022). Go outside and take a walk, take photos, hike with friends, play a sport, or even sit outside to eat or study (Jarboe, 2021). It is common for college students to distract themselves from stressors by checking social media or watching online videos. This is harmful because excessive screen time can negatively impact mental health (Twenge et al., 2020). Overuse of screen time distracts individuals from time that can be spent doing activities to improve mental health as well as acting as fuel for anxiety (Browning et al., 2021).

Additional Resources

 

References

Alkhawaldeh, A., Omari, O., Aldawi, A., Hasmi, I., Ballad, C., Ibrahim, A., Sabei, S., Alsaraireh, A., Qadire, M., Albashtawy, M. (2023). Stress factors, stress levels, and coping mechanisms among university students. Scientific World Journal, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/2026971

American Psychological Association. (2018). Active coping. https://dictionary.apa.org/active-coping

American Psychological Association. (2023). Problem-focused coping. https://dictionary.apa.org/problem-focused-coping

Barker, E. T., Howard, A. L., Villemaire-Krajden, R., & Galambos, N. L. (2018). The rise and fall of depressive symptoms and academic stress in two samples of university students. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(6), 1252-1266. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-018-0822-9

Browning, M., Larson, L., Sharaievska, I., Rigolon, A., McAnirlin, O., Mullenbach, L., Cloutier, S., Vu, T., Thomsen, J., Reigner, N., Metcalf, E., D’Antonio, A., Helbich, M., Bratman, G., & Alvarez, H. (2021). Psychological impacts from COVID-19 among university students: Risk factors across seven states in the United States. PLOS ONE, 17(8), e0273938. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0245327

Eisenbarth, C. A. (2019). Coping with stress: Gender differences among college students. College Student Journal, 53(2), 151–162. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1315571

National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). Coping skills. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/coping-skills

Sajid, M. B., Hamid, S., Sabih, F., & Sajid, A. (2017). Stress and coping mechanisms among college students. Journal of Pakistan Psychiatric Society, 14(3), 31-34. https://jpps.pk/index.php/journal/article/view/503

Shewchuk, R. M., Johnson, M. O., & Elliott, T. R. (2000). Self-appraised social problem solving abilities, emotional reactions and actual problem solving performance. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 38(7), 727-740. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(99)00122-9

Therapist Aid LLC. (2018). Healthy vs. unhealthy coping strategies. https://www.therapistaid.com/worksheets/healthy-unhealthy-coping-strategies

Thompson, M. D., Draper, B. S., & Kreitler, C. M. (2022). The relationship between stress, coping strategies, and problem-solving skills among college students. Inquiries Journal, 14(3), 1. http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1945/the-relationship-between-stress-coping-strategies-and-problem-solving-skills-among-college-students

Trevino, J., Monsur, M., Lindquist, C., & Simpson, C. (2022). Student and nature interactions and their impact on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(9), 5030. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095030

A large transition occurs as you shift roles from being a high school student to a college student. Many changes occur with this role shift such as the addition of new responsibilities and more freedom to discover more about yourself. To ensure success at school and support positive mental health, it is important to try and find your self identity and establish a feeling of belonging (Hanley & Wyatt, 2020). This process can be lengthy and may take even longer than your first year of courses (Shell et al., 2020). 

Below are some tips for finding your self identity or figuring out who you are:

  • Learn who you are a person: When starting college, it can be hard to identify new hobbies and interests to occupy your time in your new environment. In college, you will have more free time than high school because there is not a set school schedule everyone follows and you may be living on your own for the first time (Chan et al., 2023). It can also be challenging to balance time spent on school work and time spent doing activities you enjoy. Because of this, you may find difficulty knowing what types of things you actually like to do outside of school. 

To learn more about yourself:

    • Personality Tests: Personality tests can help you to identify what motivates you, your positive qualities or strengths, and potential future career choices. 
    • Goal Planning: Think about your goals and values (Stephenson, 2020). Think about what your short term goals are for while you are in school and your long term goals once you graduate and move into the workforce.
  • Learn who you are as a student or future employee in the workplace: Learning who you are now as a student and what your strengths and areas of improvement are can help you to stay on track to achieve your goals for the future (Aeon et al., 2021). 

To learn more about yourself as a student:

    • Learning Style and Study Strategies - Visit Student Support Services to take learning assessments to figure out how you learn best. Once you figure out how you learn best, you can try new study strategies to figure out what works best for you. 
    • Study Environment - Figure out what type of study environment you study best in. This will include trial and error. Try studying alone, with friends, in the library, outside of the student union, or at home. Make sure where you choose to study is distraction free. Once you figure out where you like to study best, try to study in the same place each time and only use your study space for studying (Channing Bete Company, 2020).
    • Skills - Think about skills you already have and skills you would like to develop while you are in college. This can help you to figure what type of student you are now and what type of employee you want to be in the future. 
  • Get involved on campus with others who enjoy things you do: Creating friendships with other students on campus can have a positive impact on psychological well-being and mental health (Shell et al., 2020). To find events happening on campus you can look for posters about club meetings, check social media for posts about events, or join the SGA email list.
  • Try something new: Trying new things is critical for good mental health. When you try something new your brain gets a hit of dopamine, the feel good chemical, which makes you feel pleasure, motivation, and reward (Brooks, 2022). You have not always liked the same things you do now. You never know if you will like something until you give it a try. Do not be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and try new things such as foods, experiences, a class, or hanging out with a new friend.

Additional Resources:

 

References

Aeon, B., Faber, A., Panaccio, A., & Perez-Gonzalez, J. (2021). Does time management work? A meta-analysis. PLoS One, 16(1), e02455066. https://doi.10.1371/journal.pone.0245066 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7799745/

Brooks, K. (2022). Want to break out of the blues? Try something new. Right as Rain by UW Medicine. https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/well/health/try-something-new#:~:text=Quick%20Read%20Out%20with%20the,a%20plan%20and%20prioritize%20fun.

Channing Bete Company, Inc. (2012). About academic survival skills [Brochure]. South Deerfield, MA: One Community Place.

Chan, W. Y., Rodriguez, A., Shih, R. A., Tucker, J. S., Pedersen, E. R., Seelam, R. & D’Amico, E. J. (2023). How do college students use their free time? A latent profile analysis of leisure activities and substance abuse. Leisure Sciences, 45(4), 331-350. https://doi.org/10/1080/01490400.2020.1829520 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10281707/

Hanley, T., & Wyatt, C. (2020). A systematic review of higher education students' experiences of engaging with online therapy. Counseling and Psychotherapy Research, 21(3), 522– 534. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12371

Shell, M. D., Shears, D., & Millard, Z. (2020). Who am I? Identity development during the first year of college. Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research, 25(2), 192-202. https://doi.org/10.24839/2325-7342.JN25.2.192 https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.psichi.org/resource/resmgr/journal_2020/25_2_shell.pdf

Stephenson, T. (2023). Building a powerful self-identity: Why it matters for adolescents. Monash University. https://lens.monash.edu/@education/2023/05/01/1385697/building-a-powerful-self-identity-why-it-matters-for-adolescents

Meal preparation, or meal prep for short, involves assembling whole meals or dishes ahead of time (Petre & Herrmann, 2018). Meal prep is often used as a way to save time and encorporate healthier food into one’s diet. Healthy eating encompasses more than just making sure you eat fruits and vegetables. It consists of consuming a variety of foods to ensure that you are getting nutrients in multiple areas such as carbohydrates, protein, fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy, fats, vitamins, and minerals (University of Wyoming, n.d.).  Healthy eating has many benefits to mental health. Increased vegetable and fruit consumption has a positive impact on mental health, along with vegetable consumption reducing symptoms of depression (Tuck et al., 2019). Cooking and prepping meals at home is beneficial to college students, because it both lowers food costs and lessens consumption of processed foods (Miller et al., 2023).

Below are a few beginner tips for meal prep as a college student:

  • Start with what you have at home. Look in your pantry, fridge, and freezer to see what foods you already have at home. Use these foods in your meal prep to both eliminate food waste and save you money when you are going shopping. This can also help you to make sure recipes you are choosing utilize foods you already enjoy. That way you are more willing to want to eat them later on. 
  • Find recipes you want to try. Try to include some recipes that have the same ingredients. That way when you are shopping, you will not have to spend as much money on food. You can use online sources for recipes such as Pinterest, or just a simple Google search. To save yourself time, choose recipes that are cooked using different methods. For example, do not only choose baked recipes (Petre & Herrmann, 2018). Use recipes that incorporate different kitchen appliances such as the stove, microwave, air fryer, or a crockpot.
  • Make a grocery list. College students in general already struggle with how they manage their time. Shopping without a grocery list is a huge waste of time. After choosing your recipes, make a grocery list and stick to it. To save even more time, you can organize your list by each area in the grocery store, so you are not visiting the same aisles over and over. When shopping for fruits and vegetables, fresh fruits and vegetables will be cheaper when they are in season (University of Wyoming, n.d.). If the fruits and vegetables you want to use are not in season, consider substituting them for canned or frozen versions which can often be much cheaper.
  • Plan how to store your food. First look at what you already have at home. You can store food in plastic containers, glass containers, or even plastic bags. Reusable containers can help you save money and reduce waste. Make sure the containers you use are leak proof. That way you are not having to clean up spills in your fridge, freezer, or lunch bag if you are transporting your foods.  If you are planning on meal prepping food to freeze, you need to make sure your containers are freezer safe. This will help to reduce freezer burn on your foods and decrease nutrition loss from the food (Petre & Herrmann, 2018). Make sure you are following food storage safety guidelines. Resources such as the FDA’s recommendations can help you to ensure you do not encounter any food borne illnesses while preparing and eating meals. 

Additional Meal Prep Resources

 

References

Miller, L., Falbe, J., Chodur, G., & Chesnut, S. (2023). Home-prepared meals among college students at-rsk for food insecurity: A mixed-methods study. Appetite, 188(1), 106632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2023.106632

Petre, A., & Herrmann, J. (2023). How to meal prep - A beginner’s guide. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-meal-prep

Tuck, N., Farrow, C., & Thomas, J. (2019). Assessing the effects of vegetable consumption on the psychological health of healthy adults: A systematic review of prospective research. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 110(1), 196-211. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqz080

University of Wyoming. (n.d.). College student survival guide to healthy eating on a budget. https://uwyoextension.org/uwnutrition/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Healthy-Eating-on-a-College-Budget-Guide.pdf

When going to college, moving away from home can be difficult. Even if you are not moving away from home, starting a new school year with new classmates can also be an adjustment. No matter your current situation, it is important to remember that relationships and support systems grow and change over time. For college students, meaningful connections with others is critical to accessing support (Gravett & Winstone, 2020). Many college students also value the significance of achieving real connections with others during college. Relationships with others during college can have protective benefits for mental health. Friendship type of relationships have been associated with promoting mental health in the areas of protecting against depressive symptoms, decreasing cortisol during stressful events, and improving self-esteem in college-aged individuals (Manchanda et al., 2023). Higher levels of mentoring support, such as those in forming relationships with faculty and staff during college, are associated with better mental health outcomes for college students (Saw et al., 2023).

Below you will find tips for relationships during college including meeting new people, maintaining existing relationships, healthy relationships, and setting clear boundaries.

  • Meeting new people: There are many new relationships you will form while you are at college. These include making friends in class, outside of class, and creating relationships with professors or advisors. Meeting and befriending new people at college is very important to make the most of your college experience. Compared to spending time alone, spending time with peers at college can decrease sadness and anxiety in college-aged individuals (Manchanda et al., 2023). Social opportunities play a vital role in friendship development for students (The Arc of Massachusetts, n.d.). Going to club meetings, committees, or on-campus events are all perfect social opportunities to meet other students. Relationships with faculty are critical for academic success in the areas of academic performance, engagement, and motivation (Dingel & Punti, 2023). To create positive relationships with your professors, be willing to volunteer in class, be accountable in the classroom, follow course procedures, and attend office hours (Claybourn, 2022).
  • Maintaining relationships with past friends: The person you start college off as and the person you are once you get into the groove of college are not going to be the same. This will happen to your friends you made in high school and those you left at home as well. Just because you change, it does not mean you have to let go of your existing friendships back home before college. To maintain relationships with past friends, talk on the phone or video call, use social media intentionally, or even send letters (George Fox University, n.d.). Sending letters can be more meaningful, as often texting or social media may not feel as genuine. It is also important to accept the value of temporary friendships. Some of your prior friendships will not follow you into adulthood, but that does not devalue the memories and experiences you had with that person (George Fox University, n.d.). 
  • Knowing the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships: Unhealthy relationships can be damaging and detrimental to mental health, so it is important to be able to recognize unhealthy relationship signs. Unhealthy relationships can exist with friends and significant others. Toxic signs in a relationship can take on many forms including not being accountable for their actions, expecting you to spend more time with them than others, not respecting your boundaries, and lack of trust (Moorpark College, n.d.). Conversely, healthy relationships include mutual respect, trust, honesty, separate identities, good communication, and fairness (Loyola University Chicago, 2009).
  • Setting clear boundaries: Setting boundaries is like drawing a figurative line showing what you are comfortable with versus what you are not comfortable with. There are six types of boundaries which include physical, intellectual, emotional, sexual, time, and material (Tawwab, n.d.). Boundaries should be set both in romantic and friendship type of relationships. Boundaries may vary from person to person (Panzirer, 2023). You may have more strict boundaries with one friend and more relaxed boundaries with another. When setting boundaries, think about your own limits, be assertive, be direct, pay attention to your feelings, seek support from others, and start small (LMU Cares, n.d.).  If you need help deciding on what boundaries are most important to you, talk with a trusted friend or family member. You can also talk to a mental health therapist about this as well.

Additional Resources:

 

References

Claybourn, C. (2022). 8 ways to build positive rapport with professors. U.S. News & World Report L.P.  https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/ways-to-build-positive-rapport-with-professors

Dingel, M., & Punti, G. (2023). Building faculty-student relationships in higher education. Mentoring and Tutoring, 31(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/13611267.2023.2164976

Gravett, K., & Winstone, N. (2020). Making connections: Authenticity and alienation within students’ relationships in higher education. Higher Education Research & Development, 41(2), 360-374. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2020.1842335

LMU Cares. (n.d.). Healthy Boundaries. https://studentaffairs.lmu.edu/media/studentaffairs/lmucares/documents/Healthy%20Boundaries.pdf

Manchanda, T., Stein, A., & Fazel, M. (2023). Investigating the role of friendship interventions on the mental health outcomes of adolescents: A scoping review of range and a systematic review of effectiveness. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 2160. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032160.

Moorpark College. (n.d.). Healthy friendships.  https://www.moorparkcollege.edu/sites/moorparkcollege/files/media/pdf_document/2023/healthy%20friendships.pdf

Panzirer, M. (2023). Boundaries and healthy relationships for college students. Mindful Psychology Associates. https://www.evanstonpsychologists.com/2023/08/30/boundaries-and-healthy-relationships-for-college-students/

Saw, G. K., Chang, C. N., Lin, S., Hernandez, P. R., & Culbertson, R. (2023). Disparities in mentoring and mental health problems of US college students in science and engineering during the COVID-19 pandemic. Educational Psychology, 43(5), 509-530. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2022.2146055

Tawwab, N. (n.d.). Understanding the six types of boundaries. Pesi.  https://www.pesi.com/blog/details/2169/understanding-the-six-types-of-boundaries

The Arc of Massachusetts. (n.d.). Making friends with and without disabilities in school. https://cola.unh.edu/sites/default/files/media/2022/03/friendship-toolkit-digital-pdf.pdf

Resources for Specific Mental Health Situations:

Substance abuse involves the use of alcohol, prescription drugs, or over-the-counter drugs, for reasons other than their intended purpose or in immoderate amounts (National Cancer Institute, n.d.). Substance abuse occurs frequently in college students. One study of college students revealed that almost half of the college student participants met the criteria for one or more substance use disorders (Mosel & Sharp, 2024). Alcohol use is the most significant contributor to mortality of college students, as it is connected to 1400 deaths per year on college campuses (Skidmore et al., 2016). Overuse of alcohol or drugs can have many negative impacts on college students impacting the areas of physical health, mental health, social issues, and academic difficulties (Kim, 2023). If you are concerned that you or a loved one who is a college student may be experiencing substance abuse, reference the resources below for more information. 

Signs of Substance Abuse in College Students May Include:

  • Decrease in personal appearance (less groomed or put together than normal)
  • Avoiding responsibilities or loved ones
  • Lying about alcohol or drug use
  • Mood changes such as being angry, irritable, or depressed
  • Withdrawal symptoms (headaches or cravings)
  • Increased risky behaviors (driving after substance use or fighting) (Mosel & Sharp, 2024)

Tips for Addressing Substance Abuse for College Students:

  •  Take a self-assessment: Starting with a self-assessment, is a safe way to start thinking about substance abuse if you believe you may have a problem. Taking a self-assessment can help you to understand more about your alcohol or substance use. It can also give you more information if you are wanting to change your consumption behaviors. 
  • Talk to someone you trust: If you are concerned about your alcohol or substance use, talk to someone you trust about it before seeking medical attention. Confiding in someone you trust can help you to either confirm that you should seek medical assistance or help to alleviate your worries. People you can talk to include a friend, a trusted adult in your personal life, a trusted adult on campus such as a professor or advisor, or even someone from a hotline. Talking to someone from a hotline can be useful if you would feel more comfortable talking to someone anonymously. 
  • Seek medical assistance: If you feel like medical assistance is needed, your primary care physician is a good place to start. If you do not have a primary care physician in the local area, you can start by going to a walk-in clinic or talking to a trusted adult on campus who can connect you to local medical resources. Searching the web can also be an easy way to find treatment in your area. 
  • Fill your time with drug and alcohol free activities: If you are concerned with your substance use find other more things to occupy your time (Carmona & Patterson, 2023). Recovering from an existing substance abuse problem, or stopping a problem before it occurs, involves being able to participate in new and healthier activities (Dogu & Ozkan, 2023; Narain et al., 2018). Think about activities you used to enjoy before using these substances. Restoring time spent on these activities is a good way to combat use of substances (Bell et al., 2015). This may include going to events on campus, making sober friends, crafting, spending time outdoors, or learning a new hobby.

Additional Resources

 

References

Bell T., Wegner L., Blake L., Jupp L., Nyabenda F., Turner T. (2015). Clients’ perceptions of an occupational therapy intervention at a substance use rehabilitation centre in the Western Cape. South African Journal of Occupational Therapy, 45(2), 10–14. https://doi.org/10.17159/2310-3833/2015/v45n2a3

Carmona, M., & Patterson, E. (2023). Addiction resources for college students. The Recovery Village. https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/resources/college-students/

Dogu, S. E. & Ozkan, E. (2023). The role of occupational therapy in substance use. Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 40(4), 406-413. https://doi.org/10.1177/14550725221149472

Kim, A. (2023). How to support college students facing alcohol and substance abuse. Timely Care. https://timelycare.com/blog/how-to-support-college-students-facing-alcohol-and-substance-abuse/#2-mental-health

Mosel, S., & Sharp, A. (2024). Substance abuse in college students statistics and rehab treatment. American Addiction Centers. https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/college

Narain N., Liu W. N., Mahmood Z., Duncan A. (2018). Women’s perspectives related to occupational performance following participation in substance use recovery programs. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 34(1), 61–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/0164212X.2017.1395309

National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). Substance use. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/substance-abuse

Skidmore, C., Kaufan, E., & Crowell, S. (2016). Substance use among college students. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 25(4), 735-753. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2016.06.004

Anxiety involves cautious or avoidant behaviors due to an anticipated threat (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, 2021). Anxiety not only impacts a student’s mind but also impacts their physical body. Many college students who have experienced anxiety report difficulties with thinking, mental health, and physical changes such as pain. Symptoms of anxiety may include excessive worry, restlessness, fatigue, excessive sweating, nausea, difficulty focusing, and sleep disturbances (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, 2021).). Factors that may lead to college student anxiety include course difficulty, exam difficulty, finances, culture shock, family responsibilities, illness, discrimination, employment, and disabilities (AlKandari, 2020). Over half of college students experience anxiety at some point during completion of their undergraduate degree. When surveying college students across the United States, 60% of students reported feeling overwhelming anxiety at some time (American College Health Association, 2020). Below are some questions to ask yourself if you think you may be experiencing anxiety and tips to help manage it. 

Questions to ask yourself if you feel you might be experiencing anxiety:

  • Do you often feel like you cannot stop worrying?
  • Do you often feel nervous, anxious, or on edge?
  • Do you find yourself often feeling afraid that something bad may happen?
  • Do you find yourself often having difficulty relaxing because you are thinking about other things? (Spitzer et al., 1999)

Tips to Manage Anxiety for College Students:

  • Acknowledge Anxiety: A common coping mechanism for college students is just to avoid whatever is causing them excessive worry, or anxiety. This may include putting off a difficult assignment, ignoring a friend you are in a fight with, or even not keeping up with how much money you are spending. Although avoiding these stressful situations in the current time may make you less anxious, it will actually just increase these anxious thoughts later. Acknowledging anxiety and taking small steps towards tackling these anxiety inducing situations will be most beneficial for you in the long run (LeBlanc & Marques, 2019).  Taking steps to manage anxiety early on can help to alleviate symptoms more effectively and promote overall positive mental health in students (Liu et al., 2023). To do this, learn what triggers your anxiety, do not just avoid anxiety triggering situations, talk to a trusted friend or adult, and talk to a healthcare provider if necessary. 
  • Find Resources: If you are reading this, you have already found some of the available resources to students at UA Rich Mountain. Other resources available to students include pamphlets in the library provided by Student Support Services and counseling services provided off campus. If you feel like talking to a counselor would be helpful to you, ask your professor or another staff member at the college for directions on how to access this resource. There are many counseling services within the Mena area and the college has established partnerships with some of them. There are also many resources available to students online. In the additional anxiety resources section below, there is an online support group for those struggling with anxiety. This can help you to connect with others who have had similar experiences. In a randomized trial looking at the role of online support groups reducing anxiety in college students, participating in an online support group both reduced anxiety and increased social support in students (Ellis et al., 2011).
  • Use Apps to Self-Manage: Cell phones are something that everyone always has on them or close by. Using apps to self-manage anxiety can be a useful tool for college students. Apps may focus on mindfulness, meditation, cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, breathing, simple games to occupy your mind, AI chats, or daily mood tracking. If you are apprehensive about going to receive counseling or therapy, apps may be a good short-term place to start when trying to manage anxiety. Mental health apps provide the opportunity for immediate access to help in critical mental health moments (Balaskas et al., 2023). Success with using apps to manage anxiety has been demonstrated in the literature. In a literature review looking at the effectiveness of mobile apps on mental health, out of 10 included studies, 7 studieds found significant improvements in anxiety after app use (Choudhury et al., 2023). Below in the additional anxiety resources section is a link for a list of free apps for anxiety management.
  • Lifestyle changes: College students' lifestyle may include dysfunctional choices such as poor sleep, irregular diet, low amount of exercise, and substance use which can increase anxious symptoms (Liu et al., 2023). Lifestyle changes can help students to manage their anxiety. This may include improving sleep, increasing exercise, reducing caffeine, and adding more self-care activities into your daily routine. When looking at how college students cope with anxiety symptoms, many students utilized physical activity to reduce anxiety, such as tennis, walking, and swimming (AlKandari, 2020). To find ways to improve sleep, add self-care into your daily routine, and use mindfulness techniques, alongside other coping mechanisms, reference the additional resources on UA Rich Mountain’s Mental Health and Wellness page. 

Additional Anxiety Resources

 

References

AlKandari, N. Y. (2020). Students anxiety experiences in higher education institutions.  Intech. Anxiety Disorders. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92079

American College Health Association. (2020). American college health association-national college health assessment II: Undergraduate student reference group data report fall 2019.  https://www.acha.org/documents/ncha/NCHA-III_FALL_2019_UNDERGRADUATE_REFERENCE_GROUP_DATA_REPORT.pdf

Balaskas, A., Schueller, S., Cox, A., Rashleigh, C., & Doherty, G. (2023). Examining young adults daily perspectives on usage of anxiety apps: A user study. PLOS Digital Health, 2(1), e0000185. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pdig.0000185

Choudhury, A., Kuehn, A., Shamszare, H., & Shahsavar, Y. (2023). Analysis of mobile app-based mental health solutions for college students: A rapid review. Healthcare, 11(2), 272. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11020272

Ellis, L., Campbell, A., Sethi, S., & O’Dea, B. (2011). Comparative randomized trial of an online cognitive-behavioral therapy program and an online support group for depression and anxiety. Journal of CyberTherapy and Rehabilitation, 4(4), 461-467. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230814873_Comparative_randomized_trial_of_an_online_cognitive-behavioral_therapy_program_and_an_online_support_group_for_depression_and_anxiety

LeBlanc, N., & Marques, L. (2019). Anxiety in college: What we know and how to cope. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/anxiety-in-college-what-we-know-and-how-to-cope-2019052816729

Liu, X., Guo, Y., & Xu, Y. (2023). Risk factors and digital interventions for anxiety disorders in college students: Stakeholder perspectives. World Journal of Clinical Cases, 11(7), 1442-1457. https://doi.org/10.12998/wjcc.v11.i7.1442

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration. (2021). Evidence-based resource guide series: Prevention and treatment of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among college students. https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/pep21-06-05-002.pdf

Spitzer, R., Williams, J., & Kroenke, K. (1999). Patient health questionnaire and general anxiety disorder (PHQ-9 and GAD-7). University Health Services - Florida State University. https://uhs.fsu.edu/sites/g/files/upcbnu1651/files/docs/PHQ-9%20and%20GAD-7%20Form_a.pdf

Depression is a common mental health condition characterized by prolonged feelings of sadness or anxiousness (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). In the 2022-2023 school year, in a study looking at mental health of college students across the United States, 41% of students reported experiencing symptoms of depression (Health Minds, 2023). The prevalence of depression in college students has recently increased gradually over the last few years, exceeding the depression rate that occurs in the general public (Liu et al., 2022). It is typical for college students to periodically feel sad or anxious, but depression involves long-term feelings which impact the student’s ability to function in their day-to-day life. Many people who experience depression, often first experience it during their years in college. Numerous factors may contribute to depression in college students, but a repeated cause of depression in this group is the huge change that occurs when starting college and moving away from both the comfort of home and the routine of high school (Kamps, 2023). This change can impact a student’s sleep, eating, and exercise routines among other aspects of daily life. Many college students who experience depression do not receive the assistance they need. This may be due to the student being unaware of where to go for help, what to do, or they believe that treatment will not actually help them (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.).

If you think you may be experiencing depression, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Have you recently experienced little interest or pleasure in doing things you enjoy?
  • Have you felt down or helpless?
  • Have you had changes in your eating habits such as eating too much or too little?
  • Have you experienced changes in your sleeping habits like sleeping too much or inability to sleep at all? (Spitzer et al., 1999)

Here are a few tips to help yourself feel better if you think you are experiencing depression:

  • Seek help from a professional: Discussing your concerns with a doctor or mental health provider is the first step. This is especially important if you have been experiencing these feelings for two weeks or more (Northwest Missouri State University, n.d.).  Both of these professionals can perform an exam or discuss your concerns with you to help you figure out if you are experiencing depression or another health condition. Some health conditions or medications can cause symptoms that mimic depression (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.).
  • Make tasks more manageable: If you are feeling overwhelmed by your feelings and how many things you have to do, break large tasks into smaller more manageable ones (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). If you have something you have to get done by the end of the month, break it into small things you can complete weekly. If you have something you need to get done by the end of the week, break it down into small daily tasks so you are not trying to rush and do everything all at once. 
  • Spend time with friends and family: It is often easy to want to isolate yourself when you are feeling down. Spend time with a friend or call a family member back home. Try talking about your feelings to someone you trust (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.; Northwest Missouri State University, n.d.).
  • Stay engaged in activities: Continue doing the activities you have to do each day even if you do not feel like it (Northwest Missouri State University, n.d.). Do not skip class, meals, or other responsibilities. You never know what you could miss out on. Try to purposely do something you enjoy that makes you feel better. This could be getting yourself a treat, taking a walk, listening to your favorite music, or playing your favorite game. Do not let your feelings keep you from doing the things you need to do. This can only hinder you and make these feelings worse.

Additional Depression Resources

 

References

Healthy Minds. (2023). The healthy minds study: 2022 - 2023 data report. Healthy Minds Network. https://healthymindsnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/HMS_National-Report-2022-2023_full.pdf

Kamps, L. (2023). Depression in college students: How to help students manage their mental health. Mayo Clinic Press. https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/parenting/depression-in-college-students-how-to-help-students-manage-their-mental-health/

Liu, X., Guo, Y., Zhang, W., & Gao, W. (2022). Influencing factors, prediction and prevention of depression in college students: A literature review. World Journal of Psychiatry, 12(7), 860-873. https://doi.org/10.5498/wjp.v12.i7.860

National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Depression and college students: Answers to college students’ frequently asked questions about depression. Counseling and Student Affairs:  University of Miami. https://counseling.studentaffairs.miami.edu/_assets/pdf/nimh-depression-and-college-students.pdf

Northwest Missouri State University. (n.d.). Dealing with depression. https://www.nwmissouri.edu/wellness/PDF/counseling/dwd.pdf

Spitzer, R., Williams, J., & Kroenke, K. (1999). Patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9). Depression Guideline. https://www.apa.org/depression-guideline/patient-health-questionnaire.pdf 

Homesickness is defined as discomfort or stress due to a true or expected separation from home (Thurber & Walton, 2012). Homesickness may impact anyone, but it affects college students most due to the move to college being the first time many students are away from home for a prolonged period of time. Homesickness is very common, as 94% of college students disclose experiencing homesickness at some time during the first 10 weeks of college (English et al., 2017). Although homesickness mostly occurs as students transition to college for the first time, it is also common in students in all stages of their education. Around 30% of all college students experience homesickness at various points throughout the school year (Zielinski, 2023). If you are experiencing homesickness, know you are not alone. This resource will provide you with questions to ask yourself about homesickness and methods to combat homesick feelings.

Do you think you may be feeling homesick? Ask yourself these questions to see if homesickness is something you may be experiencing.

  • Do you have constant thoughts of visiting or going back home?
  • Do you find yourself having negative thoughts about your environment at school?
  • Do you feel isolated being away from your family and friends at home?
  • Do you have trouble eating or sleeping?
  • Do you have difficulty concentrating? (Zielinski, 2023)

Follow the 4 C’s for ways to manage feelings of homesickness while you are away at college:

  • Connect with friends and family at home: Although it is important to create new friendships and relationships while at college, it is just as important to maintain your previously established relationships as well. Typical ways to communicate with family and friends back home include phone calls, video calls, text messages, emails, instant messaging, and social media sites (Smith et al., 2012). 

If you are looking for more interactive way to spend time with your family and friends back home, you can try the following ideas:

    • Have a movie night or watch a show together on an online platform: Services such as Teleparty linked below allow multiple people to stream media together at the same time along with a chat feature while watching.
    • Play online games together: Multiplayer games on gaming devices or the internet can be a fun way to spend time together when you are away from loved ones. 
    • Cook or eat the same meal together over video call: If you enjoy cooking, pick a meal that you both like to cook and eat together over the phone. If you do not have access to a kitchen, try getting food to go from a restaurant that is accessible to both of you. 
    • Read a book together: Find a book that you both are interested in and discuss it over the phone like a book club. 
  • Create a routine: Adjusting to college life can be difficult due to the disruption in your routine it creates. Establishing a new routine can help ease this transition and find a new sense of normality. 

Although your courses will give you a start at a routine, try and add these other areas to your routine as well:

    • Extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, events. etc)
    • Exercise
    • Meals
    • Going to bed and getting up
    • Self-care
    • Time with friends (The Jed Foundation, n.d.)
  • Check out the local area: Even though you are attending college in a small town, there are still a lot of things to discover both on and off campus. 

Ways to get to know your new area include:

    • Try a local restaurant
    • Attend local fairs and festivals
    • Try a local coffee or ice cream shop
    • Go to a local sports event
    • Go to a park
    • Walk around and explore campus (The Jed Foundation, n.d.)
  • Cope with feelings and stressors: If you are feeling homesick, do not ignore these feelings. Recognize you are experiencing them, and allow yourself to feel the feelings out (Mental Health America, n.d.). Use coping strategies, such as writing about your feelings, self-care, talking to a loved one, or just take time to relax and do something you enjoy.

Additional Homesickness Resources:

 

References

English, T., Davis, J., Wei, M., & Gross, J. (2017). Homesickness and adjustment across the first year of college: A longitudinal study. Emotion, 17(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000235

Mental Health America, (n.d.). How to deal with homesickness in college. https://mhanational.org/how-deal-homesickness-college

Smith, M., Nguyen, D., Lai, C., Leshed, G., & Baumer, E. (2012). Going to college and staying connected: Communication between college freshmen and their parents. In Proceedings of the ACM 2012 Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, 789 - 798. https://doi.org/10.1145/2145204.214532

The Jed Foundation (n.d.). How to deal with homesickness in college. https://jedfoundation.org/resource/how-to-deal-with-homesickness-in-college/

Thurber, C., & Walton, E. (2012). Homesickness and adjustment in university students. Journal of American College Health, 60(5), 415-419. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2012.673520

Zielinski, P. (2023). Feeling homesick? How to manage it at college. Rutgers Health. https://rutgershealth.org/news/feeling-homesick-how-manage-it-college

Procrastination is something that everyone is guilty of at some point and time. It is especially common in college students. According to Steel (2007), 80 to 95 percent of college students procrastinate, especially when completing their course work. In college students, higher procrastination is often associated with decreased mental health in the areas of depression, anxiety, and stress (Johansson et al., 2023). Many theories exist for why college students are prone to procrastination. Stereotypically, those who procrastinate are viewed as lazy, but existing theories support that most college students who procrastinate may be confused about how to start the assignment or are battling an inner fear of failure (National University, n.d.). 

Questions to ask yourself about procrastination:

  • Do you often find yourself working on tasks you intended to do the day before?
  • Do you usually have to rush to complete assignments on time?
  • Do you often wait to start an assignment until you absolutely have to?
  • Do you tell yourself you will wait to start an assignment until you feel inspired to work on it? (Mind Tools Content Team, n.d.)

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you may be prone to procrastination. Below are some tips to help you increase your productivity and beat procrastination.

Tips to beat procrastination:

  • Set Goals: Goal setting is vital for successful self-regulation to decrease procrastination tendencies (Elizondo et al., 2023). Set daily, weekly, and monthly goals. Make sure that your goals are realistic and specific to what you need to accomplish. In order to stop procrastinating while working on tasks, you must first identify what tasks you need to get done. Each time you sit down to work on assignments or study, make a goal of how much you want to get done, or where you want to stop at. Do not make goals such as “work on history paper”. Instead make goals such as “finish the introduction section of the history paper” (Johns Hopkins University, n.d.). Setting goals this way makes it easier to consider the goals completed and to stop working at a distinct point.
  • Persevere: Persevering means to keep doing something even if it is difficult. It is important to keep going when a task gets hard. If you are feeling stuck with something you are working on, complete a small part of it and reward yourself after. Try to reward yourself with things that bring you joy. If you have a goal that you are having difficulty meeting, do not give up. Research shows that in college students as levels of perseverance, or motivation, increase, levels of procrastination decrease (Elizondo, 2023).
  • Put Down the Phone: A significant positive correlation exists between mobile phone addiction and procrastination (Zhou et al., 2024). Spending too much time on a mobile phone decreases time management and ultimately leads to increased procrastination. To increase productivity while you work on course work, put your phone somewhere where you cannot see it (Armstrong, 2023). There are many apps available that can help you to beat procrastination. A common app is called Forest. It plants virtual trees when you work on a task. When you start working and pull up the app it plants a seed, but if you leave the app to go to another app or website the tree will stop growing and die (Jakucionis, 2023).
  • Hold Yourself Accountable: It is easy to give yourself reasons to not study, not work on assignments, or take unnecessarily long breaks while working on course work. To hold yourself accountable, you must realize you are about to do these things before it happens. You must remember that doing your assignments and keeping good grades are your responsibility as a college student. If you struggle with holding yourself accountable, ask a friend or family member to do so. You can ask them to check in with you on your goals, progress, deadlines, and what you accomplish (CollegeData, n.d.). You can also give them a list of things you would like to accomplish by a due date, and have them check to make sure you have accomplished these tasks (Johns Hopkins University, n.d.).

Additional Procrastination Resources

 

References

Armstrong, J. (2023). Procrastination: A college student’s best friend. Pearson. https://www.pearson.com/en-us/higher-education/insights-and-events/students-blog/2023/04/procrastination-a-college-students-best-friend.html\

CollegeData. (n.d.). 8 tips to avoid procrastination. https://www.collegedata.com/resources/campus-life/8-tips-to-avoid-procrastination

Jakucionis, D. (2023). Best 21 apps to beat procrastination in 2024. Sensa Health. https://sensa.health/blog/best-procrastination-apps/

Johansson, F., Rozental, A., Edlund, K., Cote, P., Sundberg, T., Onell, C., Rudman, A., and Skillgate, E. (2023). Associations between procrastination and subsequent health outcomes among university students in Sweden. JAMA Network Open, 6(1), e2249346. https:/doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.49346

Johns Hopkins University. (n.d.). Overcoming procrastination. Johns Hopkins University Academic Support. https://academicsupport.jhu.edu/resources/study-aids/overcoming-procrastination/

Mind Tools Content Team. (n.d.). Are you a procrastinator? Mind Tools. https://www.mindtools.com/agqsnqe/are-you-a-procrastinator

National University. n.d. Helping students overcome procrastination. https://www.nu.edu/blog/helping-students-overcome-procrastination/

Steel, P. (2007). The nature of procrastination: A meta-analytic and theoretical review of quintessential self-regulatory failure. Psychological Bulletin, 133(1), 65-94. https://doi.org/ 10.1037/0033-2909.133.1.65

Zhou, X., Yang, F., Chen, Y., & Gao, Y. (2024). The correlation between mobile phone addiction and procrastination in students: A meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 346, 317-328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.11.020

Stress is mental tension or worry due to a demanding situation (World Health Organization, 2023). Stress is not always a bad thing. Small amount of stress may be beneficial in keeping you motivated to meet your goals both academically and in your personal life. Although stress exists for a reason, there are times when too much stress can be detrimental. Stress is considered unhealthy when it limits your ability to relax and repair for other parts of your life (Kerr & Claybourn, 2023). Stress is very common in college students. In a survey looking at stress in college students, of 2,400 students surveyed, 66% reported encountering stress during their time in college (Kerr & Claybourn, 2023).

Questions to ask yourself if you are concerned about your stress levels:

  • Do you have trouble sleeping or are sleeping more than normal?
  • Do you feel like you have difficulty with being motivated?
  • Have you had any physical symptoms such as weight loss, biting your nails, or hair loss?
  • Do you at times feel that you want to spend a lot of time alone and not spend as much time with friends or family as you used to?
  • Do you feel like your mood goes up and down rapidly or you are quick to cry or get angry? (JED Foundation, n.d.a)

If you answered yes to the questions above, here are a few tips to manage stress:

  • Identify what is causing your stress: Stress in college students may be caused by many different things. It can be due to a particular class, issues managing time, issues prioritizing, too much free time, family expectation, or financial obligations (JED Foundation, n.d.a). To identify what is causing your stress, take time to sit and think about what is occurring that could make your stress levels worse. Once you figure out what is causing your stress, this is the first step to addressing it most effectively (The Learning Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, n.d.). It is also important to realize when normal stress elevates to an unhealthy stress level (Kerr & Claybourn, 2023). Other than the signs in the above questions, other indicators of high stress levels may include headaches, increased blood pressure, indigestion, or pain at the neck or lower back (National Health Ministries, 2006).  
  • Reduce Stressors: Not all things that cause you stress can be eliminated or reduced, but reducing the ones that can be is the next step to tackling stress. Some common stressors that can be reduced that you may not realize are causing stress include reducing screen time and overuse of substances. Spending too much time on a screen, whether it be on your phone, watching tv, or on your computer can worsen stress (JED Foundation, n.d.b). It may seem like a good way to relax and not have to think about something while you are taking a break from working on other tasks, but it is a slippery slope of losing track of time and letting unfinished work pile up.  Use of substances, such as alcohol or illicit drugs, can actually worsen both stress and anxiety (JED Foundation, n.d.b). Some college students may participate in these activities as a way to calm down their nerves when stress impacts them, but it is actually detrimental in the long run. 
  • Use Problem Solving techniques: Oftentimes, college students can feel stuck in situations involving stress. It can be hard for college students to solve problems when it comes to alleviating stress. Instead of getting stuck in the trap of negative thinking patterns, use problem solving to help focus on areas causing you stress you can control. Creating goals focusing on things that are within your control can help you to be more productive and not waste your energy on thinking about stressors that are out of your hands (The Learning Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, n.d.). Developing new or using existing coping mechanisms can be a great way to solve problems relating to stress. Look at the digital resource on coping mechanisms for more information on how to implement new coping mechanisms and utilize things you already enjoy doing to improve your mental health. 
  • Give yourself a break: Giving yourself a break involves practicing self-compassion, reframing, and letting go of perfectionism. Self-compassion is a process in which you are kind to yourself like you are to others. It involves taking care of yourself (The Learning Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, n.d.) It can be easier to be hard on yourself when you make a mistake or do not do as well on something as you would like, but it is also important to be kind to yourself and forgive yourself where you may mess up. Reframing, a related concept to self-compassion, entails giving yourself credit for what you have accomplished. Instead of seeing mistakes only for what you may have messed up on, look at mistakes as an opportunity to do better the next time (Cornell Health, 2023). Letting go of perfectionism means knowing that you are not going to make a 100%, or even an A, on every single test or assignment. Try your best and be satisfied knowing that you gave it your all. 

Additional Stress Resources

 

References

Cornell Health. (2023). Stress management. https://health.cornell.edu/sites/health/files/pdf-library/stress-management.pdf

Kerr, E., & Claybourn, C. (2023). Stress in college students: What to know. U.S. News & World Report. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/stress-in-college-students-what-to-know

JED Foundation. (n.d.a). Tips for managing academic stress in college. https://jedfoundation.org/resource/tips-for-managing-academic-stress/

JED Foundation. (n.d.b) Understanding academic stress in college. https://jedfoundation.org/resource/understanding-academic-stress/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw4ri0BhAvEiwA8oo6F7SyaIPlMNfvktRZ_1D-y182V3MI5czd68qkKcm_sJ6MqjQdc45PBBoCVugQAvD_BwE

National Health Ministries. (2006). Stress and the college student. New Mexico State University Alamogordo. https://alamogordo.nmsu.edu/files/docs/00-Stress-and-the-College-Student.pdf

The Learning Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (n.d.). College Stress. https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/managing-college-stress/

World Health Organization. (2023). Stress. https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/stress

Student Non-Emergency Anonymous Mental Health Referral Form

College can be a difficult time for students, creating an increased importance on checking in on mental health. If you, or another student, are in need of additional mental health support, please complete the anonymous form below. The form will be sent to support staff in student affairs, who will provide the necessary assistance to the student and connect them to resources on campus or in the local community.

 

If you believe that a student is in immediate danger to themselves or others do not use this form. Call 911. 

 

Potential Signs of the Need for Mental Health Support:

If you feel a student may be in need of mental health assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

To submit a referral form, please click here.