The past year of the pandemic and academic terms with Zoom University has left a toll on students’ mental health even as life returns to somewhat normal. While students have endured the same difficulties of online school, their personal experiences may differ widely.
Counseling and Testing Center Executive Director Greg Lambeth saw the center’s initial shift to telepsych, with services available online for the first time ever.
Despite lessening restrictions, with continuing high COVID-19 rates, the majority of clinic services remain on Zoom.
“We are taking an overall cautious approach,” Lambeth said.
Rheanna Kaley is a psychologist at the CTC who works with clients first hand. With mixed reviews of Zoom classes last semester, she finds students are having varying experiences.
“I think there’s a mixed experience. I think some people are incredibly happy to be back in person and try to regain a sense of normalcy,” Kaley said. “I think there’s also a lot of anxiety for people who are nervous to be back.”
The CTC has seen a disproportionate impact on individuals. People with prior issues had multiple new stressors brought on by the pandemic.
Previously existing mental health issues have been exasperated by the pandemic. According to Kaley, the CTC has seen more emergency appointments at the beginning of this school year compared to last year.
“It almost seems like everything paused when the pandemic happened,” Kaley said. “People were likely sitting on some mental health stuff.”
As far as the full impacts this semester, Lambeth said he can’t be sure of how well students are adjusting. New incoming students have had the building blocks of their education disrupted. This could impact the freshman class’ continuing experience in college.
“People struggling academically, that impacts anxiety,” Lambeth said. “If you’re failing classes, that’s a huge stressor… I think we’ll get a better sense over the next several semesters.”
Virtual counseling can help clients with a less stressful environment, especially for those with anxiety. It has also helped the CTC in cases of traveling students or those who do not live in Moscow.
Many clients prefer it, according to Lambeth. A survey of clients showed most preferred Zoom over in person, as the restriction of masks makes counseling less personal.
Clients can be more comfortable at home, but for some, home doesn’t feel like a safe space.
“So how do we create that safe space for them?” Kaley questioned. “Where can we create that the best we can?”
For more severe issues, like suicidal ideation or serious depression, being in person can be more beneficial.
“We value, at the CTC, a student’s autonomy and ability to make those decisions,” Kaley said.
A more isolated lifestyle has limited some students with a lack of social interaction or outside stimulation. But on the other hand, Kaley has also seen people who have benefitted from Zoom by staying home in a familiar environment and coming out stronger.
“Everybody at some level will have a different learning style, coping strategy, personality preference,” Kaley said. “For some people, this eases stress.”
With the pandemic still ongoing, it is uncertain where mental health stressors may go from here.
“As it continues, (the question is) how can we take what we have learned now to continue to address mental health concerns?” Kaley said.
JP Krog, a UI freshman, didn’t feel heavily impacted by the changes COVID-19 brought in his day-to-day. Still, the pandemic made his last year of high school more difficult.
“I just didn’t like it, it got boring,” Krog said. “My school wasn’t good at handling it.”
The transition to online classes, overall, wasn’t a smooth one.
“It impacted me academically, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it did for others,” Krog said. “I get distracted way too easily.”
Krog has found himself doing better in person this semester.
“I don’t think the pandemic has helped anybody,” junior Sophia Carson said. “Everybody kind of felt trapped and alone.”
With more lenient COVID-19 restrictions this semester, being able to go out and see people, Carson sees things getting better.
“I definitely think a lot of people have been burned with COVID-19 and online classes,” Carson said. “I’m not used to in person classes, but I think it’s been easier this semester.”
In consideration of her peers, she hopes things keep getting better.
“I think if you’re struggling… just try,” Carson said. “Try to go out, try to make friends, try to make yourself happier than feeling alone.”
Amanda Ferstead, mental health coordinator at Vandal Health Education has also been witnessing the toll of the pandemic on students.
“We’re all in the same storm, but we’re all in different boats,” Ferstead said.
She has found that the pandemic has affected many different communities in many different ways. Factors like family situations, social networks and year in school all result in vastly different experiences.
“It’s all adjusting together at once, so there’s a lot of uncertainty,” Ferstead said.
In a positive turn of events, more students than ever before have been reaching out to find out more about resources and engaging with workshops. It has been opening up the conversation surrounding mental health on campus.
“We’re seeing more students turning out to events and things we are doing now than even before the pandemic,” Ferstead said. “I think students are looking to participate in events on campus, to engage with each other and to focus on their wellbeing.”
Ferstead described a sense of community students seemed to be looking for recently, a “Vandal family.”
“In our Sources of Strength Training, three out of the eight strengths are all people,” Ferstead said. “We know those are things that consistently help, so it makes sense that students seeking out that community helps.”
Returning to in person has also helped with engaging students, allowing for trainings and events like therapy dogs to return.
The annual National College Health Assessment will be conducted through a survey once again. The assessment evaluates factors of student health and last conducted in 2020.
Amid the pandemic, rates of loneliness and stress both went up significantly compared to 2019.
Ferstead encourages students to take the survey once it is sent out through email later this fall.
“It helps us see what students are experiencing,” Ferstead said. “It covers a wide variety of issues.”
With the previous year’s results, Ferstead was able to focus on another issue highlighted in the results: barriers to counseling.
Students in the survey reported that many of them began counseling because of family and friends, their support network guiding them to this resource. With this in mind, VHE was able to establish Connecting U & I, a campaign to connect students to resources and support on campus.
Not only does the VHE aid students in finding help, but it provides opportunities and training for individuals to become better equipped to help others, which Ferstead finds to be one of the best ways to support those nearby. Their mental health trainings aim to help faculty, staff and students respond to signs of mental illness or crisis. Therapy dogs will be on campus Oct. 13 from 12-2p.m. at the ISUB.
Michella Chowdhury and Haadiya Tariq can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @haadiyatariq