By Marvin Villanueva and Matisse Sanchez, Oct. 11, 2022
As anxiety rises throughout the country, especially among college students, expanded services are being made available on the CPP campus.
According to The New York Times, the panel known as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force announced on Sept. 20 that adults under 65 should be screen for anxiety. This is due to an influx of Americans reporting higher anxiety levels in response to certain modern stressors such as inflation and grief produced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anxiety affects the lives of some students as they juggle the stress of their studies and personal lives.
“I think we know most people are anxious,” said Maria Cerce, coordinator of the Womxn’s Resource Center. “I think we know most people struggle with stress because of our workday.”
Students face an overload of pressure to finish college and graduate in four years which can be difficult for a student especially when it may be their first year on campus.
According to Healthline, anxiety symptoms include nervousness, feelings of danger, panic or dread and lethargy. These symptoms could deter the academic lives of college students.
“We have a lot of students on campus, and we also have so many resources,” Cerce said. “We have these resources, but we could do a better job of informing students about them and making the process of access much easier.”
According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine, more than eight out of 10 students surveyed experienced moderate or severe stress, yet most students with severe symptoms never used mental health services.
Civil engineering student Max Mendoza believes the pressures colleges place onto students is causing this rise of academic-based anxiety.
“This is the first time you are on your own, so it puts pressure on you, especially since everyone at home believes in you to do well,” Mendoza said. “I definitely felt nervous when I started here.”
Electrical engineering student Abraham Estrada believes the stress of classes is causing anxiety within students.
“The expectation of passing causes anxiety,” Estrada said. “Every single time you change into a different class, you get different material, tougher professors and that can give students anxiety.”
Both Estrada and Mendoza also believe that students should find outlets to expel the daily stresses of their academic lives. To destress themselves, Estrada loves to listen to lo-fi music and Mendoza loves to catch up with his old friends from high school who go to different colleges.
“It’s sort of nice to hear that we’re going through the same thing even if we don’t see each other anymore,” Mendoza said.
He explained that he believes through connecting more with others, students may find that they share more experiences than they think, making their academic lives easier.
The Womxn’s Resource Center and many others are available for student access, people on campus are willing to help students with their anxiety. Resources are not just available with Counseling & Psychological Services and are not limited to just them but are in spaces such as the Womxn’s Resource Center. With access to the Nap Pod, food snacks and more, these are only a small part of what WRC do to help students relieve some anxiety they might be having.
“I think folks who are connected in our centers have peers that are there for them and are looking out for them,” Cerce said.
Students of all kinds are welcome at places like this. Even with the Bronco Family Space in the library and the Lactation Room, students have access to multiple resources that CPP may not have had in the past. CPP wants students to feel welcome and at home when they are on campus, with multiple resources available they are willing to help combat anxiety and help students cope with their stressors and more.
If you are in need of resources, contact the Bronco Wellness Center to plan a one-on-one educational coaching session or to find more information on stress management strategies.
Feature image courtesy of Elisa Ventur
