Mental Health on College Campuses

College aged students are facing a mental health crisis across the country.

Source: Greta Stuckey '23

College is a time of self-exploration and growth for many young adults. It’s also a time of high stress as students begin to take on more responsibilities. A recent survey from Gallup and the Lumina Foundation found that college students are increasingly considering dropping out of school due to mental health struggles. 

“As a former college teacher, I've witnessed many of my students simply burn out,” Rachel Garlinghouse wrote for Insider. “Time and time again, students pulled me aside and confessed they were facing major burnout, which can manifest as fatigue, sadness, confusion, a lack of motivation and anxiety.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, students were faced with a number of academic challenges such as school closures and virtual coursework. During the first year of the pandemic, 34% of students considered dropping out. When asked again in 2023, more than 40% of undergraduate students had considered dropping out in the past six months. 

“I do believe that students should have a number of mental health days to use as excused absences from class,” SGA Executive Vice President Mia Hemme ‘24 said. “Regardless of who you are, there are always days when one is simply drained due to burnout, exhaustion or otherwise. On these occasions, an excused day off would relieve a significant amount of pressure in that person's life, even if only for that one day.”

Marist College offers a variety of mental health services through the Counseling Center. Counseling Services offers both telehealth and in person appointments for students during the academic year. Some colleges such as Northeastern University have instituted “wellness days.” Although Marist doesn’t currently have mental health days for students, Hemme is planning to speak with Marist faculty over the summer to advocate for them. 

“The option of an excused mental health day offers students the ability to keep what they would like to about their personal life private,” Hemme said. “This would allow students to take a day when they need it by sending a short message and being confident that they won't have to provide more information than they would like.”

According to the Gallup and the Lumina Foundation survey, two out of five undergraduate students and nearly half of all female students say they frequently experience emotional stress while attending college. The survey also found that the main reasons students considered dropping out were related to emotional stress and personal mental health problems.

“The topic of mental health has been greatly destigmatized over the past few years,” Hemme said. “Although Marist does not yet have mental health days, I have seen the topic of mental health increase as well as a general acceptance about getting help from resources like counseling services.”

For students struggling with burnout or mental health issues, there are resources that can help. Garlinghouse suggests that struggling students prioritize self-care, seek professional help when needed, step away from school if necessary and give themselves compassion. 

“I would like to remind all students that there are great resources available both on and off campus that are confidential and willing to help,” Hemme said.

Anyone in a mental health emergency should immediately call 988 or 911. Marist College Students looking for mental health resources can reach out to Counseling Services at 845-575-3314 or access the office in Midrise 113.