How is a college student’s mental health different or similar from high school? The extremely high-stress levels and mental health issues among students have resulted from the Covid-19 pandemic. Also, COVID-19 is why there is a rise in mental health issues in general, people are stuck in the house and scared of getting sick or getting others sick, like family members. Northern Essex Community College students can help us understand the mental health issues among students who are in college and high school. Students from Northern Essex Community College give their views on this topic.
Marriam Saldivar is a student from Northern Essex Community college, she majors in Communications/Journalism. Saldivar and is from the Dominican Republic and currently lives in Lawrence Massachusetts.
Saldivar explains that she feels that high school students have worse mental health than college students, ”I can’t say with certainty, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it is,” she said. “Teenagers grow up with the old saying that high school is the BEST time of their life maybe… They might have other stressors like the expectations of trying to fit in and trying to get good grades to get into a good college. Some high schoolers are starting to work so they’re trying to juggle between the two of them. It’s a lot.’’
It seems like high school students are in more stressful situations compared to college students. They are more likely to suffer from peer pressure trying to go to the best college or being the most popular person in the school. College students tend to have more freedom to do whatever they want and not worry about being cool or popular.
Being a student, in general, is tough in college and high school. Most students go through similar issues, they are problems that a college student probably will have, and a high school student has that’s similar.
Saldivar states, ” Lots of things like juggling school and works still trying in for some trying to get good grades some of us are still deciding we want to do with our lives… the only difference is that most of us are ending with debt.”
There are a lot of things that cause mental health problems in students. One of the key factors is the pandemic because students didn’t attend school in person.
Saldivar states, what causes students to have mental health issues. ‘’it’s various things, like not being able to afford school, and so you take out various loans as you dread the fact, you’re going to end with so much work. Then there’s work when you add it on top of the school. Some employers don’t care, and so we’ve barely got time to ourselves and to rest.’’
There are things on a student’s mind other than their education also working at a job other life issues that can affect their mental health issues. Some students have trouble expressing themselves and want somebody to give them advice on how to control their mental health challenges when in high school and college, and high school.
Saldivar stated what advice would she give a college student and high school student who struggles with mental health issues. ”Get a calendar to organize all your events the dues dates for assignments by month, week and make a daily to-do list. It organizes everything.’’
Being organized in college evenings in high school is significantly important. Making a list is helpful so you won’t feel overwhelmed with and you will get things done. Reaching out to somebody will also help with mental issues.
Natalia Pena is a student from Northern Essex Community college. Her major is nursing. She is from Lawrence Massachusetts. Pena stated she thinks college students have worse mental than high school students. ‘’ I think college students have worse mental health,” she said. There is a reason why college students have worse mental health problems because they must think about what many college students go through — a feeling of intense pressure to obtain high grades in connections with career aspirations, taking final exams, trying to establish a romantic and social life, dealing with the often very high cost of college, and possibly working at a job during the school year.
Pena stated what are the similar mental health issues college students and high school students go through. ‘”Similar amounts of pressure to do well in school. They both through the pressure of trying to succeed in their ability to become successful in the future’.”
College students and high school students both deal with stress. It can be different since there are different stages in their education. They can also be going through similar issues.
Pena says” Yes definitely there’s a lot at stake.,” for college students. Being a college student can be stressful because of the student loan college students have to pay.
However, there are similar worries among college students and high school students have, such as not having good grades passing in work in time worrying about not meeting requirements academically.
Pena stated what she thinks causes mental health issues students ‘’I think the lack of resources and knowledge on how to deal with mental health issues causes more issues.’’ When a student has a lack of knowledge and resources, they have a difficult time adjusting to school. They should have someone to guide them to the right path, such as an excellent guidance counselor for high school students or a helpful adviser for college students who need to seek help to get through the semester.
