Groups of students are urging for university administrators to provide more mental health counseling ser-
vices, grant academic leniency and to improve the communication between students on campuses.

Several universities have not been providing any support for students during this time, especially with finals before winter break. Students have attempted to contact leaders to ensure that more mental health services will be provided and soon enough, to take action immediately before the possibility of losing student.

Throughout the month, students are expected to attend all classes on time, complete all assignments and ace
all exams.The high standards for students to maintain all A’s with strict families put more pressure and stress on their mental health.

The expectation for them to “keep on and carry on” is dehumanizing. Students are upset because they’ve been pushing for mental health resources since 2018. Counseling and psychological services have students waiting for weeks just to reserve an appointment.

It should not be taking student deaths to get better mental health resources and this is what concerns upcoming high school graduates. College students commonly experience stress because of the increased responsibilities given once accepted into a university.

Most lack time management, worse sleeping habits and changes in eating. Seniors have pressures of getting into the “right” college and graduating. Some fear that the friendship they’ve been in the past years will eventually have to drift apart. Over the years, the process for submitting college applications has started earlier and earlier.

Students think about college and others need to make decisions before their senior year. Deciding what to do after high school is a major life decision.

Applying for their dream college is nerve racking enough with concerns of not getting accepted in any colleges at all.
“These past few months have been exhausting for so many seniors. Keep- ing up with assignments, applications, extracurriculars and other responsibilities can be hard to find time for ourselves,” senior Layan Masri said.

Before the pandemic, many families were urging, pushing their kids to go right off to college after high school
graduation. When the pandemic hit, diagnoses of anxiety and depression soared. Students have been adjusting to this change.

School provides structure and motivation for students to continue their studies. The routine of getting up in the morning at a certain time, going to certain classes on specific days and coming home at specific times provides a more sense of normalcy in their lives.

Knowing what comes after the next period and knowing what hallway route to get to class allows students to focus
on academic content to ensure that they are focused in classes. The expectations and behaviors given to students are familiar as well.When schools closed, students lost the structure and process of the daily routines they used to do.

Students were sent home for week which later turned into months virtually learning online with given packets of assignments to complete. It all piled up into several concerns over their well being.

“College is an important stage in life. As a senior who is about to graduate, I couldn’t lie if I said I wasn’t stressed due
to the papers each university asked me for and the different requirements needed to apply,” senior Cinara Galindo said.

Social interactions with families is fundamental for humans. In times of stress and depression, interacting with families and talking to one another regularly on a daily basis leaves a major impact on the mindset

“Even when things get super stressful I know I can always reach out to my friends and teachers for help.” Masri
said. The college application processes are considered the most stressful times for high school students. Rising tuition fees, failing those applications and the fear of not getting a job earlier puts more responsibility on students.

Although throughout the last two years things have changed drastically graduates of class of 2022 are managing to pull through and make sure that their mental health is one of their top priorities once in college.