Declining mental health is an issue within college students that is more overlooked than anything. There are many factors that can affect students’ mental health, including a new environment, new adjustments, stress, and loneliness. 55 students are asked about their mental health, and the results were shocking. Out of the 55 participants, 42 students said they were depressed, eight said they were depressed sometimes, and only five said that they were not depressed. Further questions are asked to determine factors that contribute to their depression. 

“I think school is a big factor in my depression, there’s a lot of stress with my classwork and I always feel like there’s so much to do and so little time,” one student said. 

Many students said the combined stress of life and school was a lot to handle. Another student explained the aspect of missing classes, saying 

“You get sick one day, miss one day of classes, but you’ve missed three lectures and two assignments. It’s a struggle to stay on top of things”. “I think a lot of professors accommodate well, but when you have one that doesn’t, it gets tough. I try to not miss class, but things happen, and some professors do not care, which can lead to me getting in this funk. Things just pile on top of each other, and it really brings me down”.

Other students are asked about what accommodations they would like to see when missing class time. 

One student said, “Something as simple as giving me a week’s extension makes a big difference. Like when my grandma passed, I was lucky enough to have some professors who understood, and they all worked with me really well when I was at my lowest. I am forever grateful for that”. 

Another student briefly explained mental health outside of just being just a student, “I work a lot, and I’m trying my best. I am just very drained and tired all the time. Between school and work, I sacrificed a lot of my social life, and it gets very lonely sometimes. I know it will be worth it in the end, but it’s hard to think like that all the time”.

After interviewing students of West Liberty University (WLU) with different majors and backgrounds, it was realized that many students struggle with mental health. A new perspective was gained and it illustrated that nearly all of us struggle with depression or some other kind of mental health issue. As a campus, we need to be there for each other and try our best to understand that everything isn’t always okay– and that’s okay.