Being a college student, especially a freshman, can be an extremely stressful experience.
Campbellsville University freshman Jose Marrero can attest to that as homework, papers and due dates are all starting to pile up. Marrero said he’s experienced his fair share of mental health struggles. He said that he was unsure about his life after high school.
“When my mental health was at an all-time low, I thought I had no future,” he said. “When my mental health started to get better, I started thinking that college might be worth a shot.”
According to Marrero, mental health has become a bigger focal point in his life. He’s been through multiple situations that have affected him mentally, but as he grows from those moments and pulls himself out of that rough time in life, he uses those moments to assess his mental health.
“I have gone through a couple of rough stages, but I pulled myself out of that, and I can focus on how it affects me,” he said.
Marrero is an extremely busy college student. He has classes every day, as well as rehearsal every night as the lead role for the fall musical “Lucky Stiff.” While his stress level is high, he realizes he’s not on his own and there are people here to help.
“A lot of people think they’re alone,” he said. “Reaching out to people makes it so much better.”
Marrero is excited to continue his first year at CU as he works hard to succeed while also prioritizing his mental health.
Mental health can affect a lot of things like one’s mood, thoughts and actions. According to a report by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), research found that 46% of people who die by suicide had a known mental health condition.”
According to another report entitled “The Student Mental Health Landscape” conducted by the Wiley Network, more than 80% of college students say they are struggling emotionally. These statistics show that college can make someone’s mental health take a brutal hit.
Cody Chapman, who has been a part of CU for five years as a student, worker and overall presence on campus, said his freshman year was tough. He said he had little to no confidence, pride or belief in himself. Today, he has a much more positive self-image, and his mental health has improved greatly.
“My mental health was poor when I first got here,” Chapman said. “Now, I am the complete opposite of those things, and I have all the confidence in myself.”
He said putting his faith in God has really helped him with his problems, and he’s an overall person.
“Find and seek community, attend and serve in campus ministries and attend events on campus,” Chapman said. “The number one thing that’s most important is to give yourself a break and spend time with God.”
Students also have resources on campus that can help them through tough times, such as the counseling services available to all CU students. Nick Bloodworth is entering his second year as director of counseling services, and said he can relate to students who might struggle with their mental health. He said he grew up in a troubled environment himself, and someone close to him died by suicide. After this traumatic experience, Bloodworth said he knew he wanted to make a change and create a voice for mental health awareness.
“I wanted to make an impact,” he said. “I wanted to express the need that some people just need an outlet to talk to.”
According to Bloodworth, mental health is something that should be more important in people’s lives. He believes people should have easier ways to talk about their problems and find the help they need.
“We all go through times where we’re struggling with something,” Bloodworth said. “Whether we need someone to vent to, someone to give us a different perception, someone to help us through obstacles. I believe that people should have that access.”
Bloodworth is available for students to meet and talk to about their mental health and more through the campus counseling services.
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, reach out to the counseling services at CU by calling the CU-Well intake line at 502-694-1444. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is also available by calling or texting 988.
