By Alena Visnovsky
In the midst of the ongoing pandemic, Grand Rapids Community College students shared that academics, finances, and social interactions are stressors during this challenging time.
As the pandemic lingers, mental health wears thin.
“(During the pandemic) I lost a lot of social skills,” said Reagan Kukla, 18, of Sparta.
The pandemic has also brought about extensive disappointment when major events have been canceled.
“It hurt me when our high school (basketball) season got cut off,” said Z’marion Perkins, 17, of Grand Rapids. “Districts were supposed to be next, game day, somebody got COVID.”
Primary stressors for the students interviewed recently by The Collegiate included finding rides from campus to get home, expensive parking, and not having enough time to work because of athletics, and some overwhelm was expressed.
“(College) is 100 times different than how it was even 10 years ago,” Kukla said. “It’s completely different. Now I have to navigate a website with a million different subsections… It feels like an expensive (expletive) AP class.”
Other students had more temperate thoughts.
“I wish people understood… how to take things lightly” said Emma Gillies, 18, of Armada. Everyone is going through something.”
Gillies said the slower, more distant pandemic living hasn’t been completely terrible.
“I’ve been finding free time and more hobbies,” Gillies said. “I found the positive in the situation. I started working out more.”
While Gillies has focused on having a positive outlook and being mindful of how her choices affect others, the other students also had some positive things to say about how they’re surviving the pandemic. For Kukla, more information coming out about the virus was encouraging for her. For Perkins, his religious faith has helped him survive.
Subsequently, the students interviewed cited a range of activities, from video games, playing basketball, and sleeping, to cleaning, listening to music, and working out were things they used to relax.
The students also had some ideas about what could ease pressure. Perkins and Kukla both mentioned that someone to motivate them and assist with accountability would be helpful. Gillies said having other students to talk to would be beneficial. Additionally, Kukla advocated for places to obtain paper straws on campus, so people could drink in class with their masks up.
How do GRCC students get help? And how can GRCC better send help?
GRCC Psychologist Dr. Andre Fields recommends talking to a mental health practitioner “when your mental, emotional, an/or behavioral functioning is negatively impacting your academic, professional, and social progress.”
He also stated in an email to The Collegiate that the most recurrent psychological issues for students take the form of stress, depression, anxiety, and relationships.
GRCC supplies free mental health and career counseling to all currently enrolled students. Students can access these services by calling (616) 234-4130 to schedule a counseling appointment.
Fields maintained that it takes no longer than two weeks to meet with a GRCC counselor.
Fields stressed that “self-care, self-compassion, stress management, time management, and surrounding yourself with positive individuals can do wonders as it relates to sustaining positive mental health.”
For more information on GRCC’s counseling department, click here.
