After Monmouth made the decision to extend their collaboration with Uwill, a 24/7 virtual counseling service, our editorial staff decided to reflect on mental health not only for college students, but on Monmouth’s campus.
Mental health is frequently talked about on college campuses and amongst college students.
One of our editors began by saying, “I think you could argue mental health is a bigger problem for college students compared to any other group. The stress of schoolwork, life activities, and your future add up and it can really take a toll on your mental health.”
All editors agreed that mental health is a very large struggle for college students for numerous reasons, some leading to burnout.
Monmouth University has many available resources for mental health including individual counseling, crisis intervention, and suicide prevention trainings, to name a few.
While most of our editors have not used these resources, one has used Counseling and Prevention Services (CPS) their first semester freshman year. “I was having a hard time dealing with my anxiety in a new environment. It was a good place to just talk out my feelings and share what I was thinking,” they said.
Another one of our editors said that while they have not used the resources themself, they see Monmouth do a good job of promoting the resources they provide for students when it comes to mental health.
“I know people who have, and feedback is mixed,” an editor said in response to using Monmouth’s mental health resources.
An editor further explained, “Monmouth definitely tries, but it’s often surface-level. You shouldn’t have to wait weeks to talk to someone when you’re already on edge.”
Our editorial staff agreed on the benefit that the Monmouth collaboration with Uwill will provide for the students.
An editor said, “I do think this will benefit students. It’s so important that we all feel supported and encouraged to do well. If this is something students will actually utilize, it’s worth it.”
“I think this is a great thing, especially since it’s 24/7. Having someone or something you can use around the clock is crucial, especially for college students,” said another editor.
A third editor explained, “If it’s done right, the idea of 24/7 access is great, but it needs to feel human. Not just something someone would download and forget about. If students can actually connect with counselors who get what it’s like to be in college right now, then it’s a real step forward.”