We hear about mental health a lot.
From the very beginning of college, we get assured that help is all around: counseling, online spaces, emergency contacts, and so on. Yet, a month into the semester, when you’re overwhelmed with academics, homesickness, and the absence of private space, you quickly learn that you have to wait two weeks until the counselor is able to devote forty minutes to listen to you.
The problem isn’t specific to Colby at all. The shortage of psychiatrists and counselors is nationwide, and so is unprecedented demand for their services, especially among college students. As of 2025, a Healthy Minds study found that 37 percent of college students reported experiencing moderate to severe depressive symptoms, and 18 percent reported severe depression. This is a little bit better than during the pandemic crisis peak, but it’s still very high.
This problem doesn’t have a specific cause. However, according to the 2024 Student Voice annual survey, the leading responses to the question “What do you think are the biggest drivers of what’s been called the college mental health crisis or high demand for student mental health services in recent years?” were “The need to balance personal, economic, and family duties with schoolwork” (42 percent); “Increased academic stress” (37 percent); and “Prevalence of social media” (33 percent). Another notable response was “Decreased socialization skills due to the pandemic” (22 percent).
A lot of those factors, like the level of academic workload, or post-pandemic socialization decline, are unchangeable, and the only option is to deal with the consequences and support those affected. But many of the factors are changeable, and our community can and should focus on eradicating them to make the campus more inclusive, happy, and healthy.
Sleep deprivation is among the most common and most dangerous factors affecting college students’ mental health. One study found that 72 percent of students with moderate sleep problems also reported mental health problems, compared to only 16 percent of students with minimal sleep problems.
Studies also show that emotional flexibility is an important predictor of mental health problems and their severity. The College can significantly improve students’ well-being by promoting a healthy lifestyle. We can start from something as simple as making quiet hours actually quiet.
The College can also invest in the development of wellness and coping skills in students. For example, the Colby Passport program, which already exists, can be modified to include more wellness seminars and workshops designed specifically for the first-years, instead of having freshmen go to random events just to fulfill the requirement.
The LinC program can also be extended, since a lot of students couldn’t find a convenient time or sign up at all. Instead of hiring additional faculty for this purpose, current staff can be used to train upperclassmen and supervise them as they share their experience with freshmen or even lead the sessions. This peer-exchange will foster connections and mentorship relationships among different class years. This is feasible because those programs are already established and may be modified to become more efficient.
The approach to mental health should be comprehensive and target all students and a variety of possible issues. There is more to mental health than depression or anxiety. There are dozens of miscellaneous issues people are battling with every day, and even something as little as acknowledging their struggles and making our learning environments more accessible can have a crucial impact. This includes expanding learning accommodations and educating faculty on topics of mental health. For example, at the University of North Carolina, faculty and staff receive basic training to spot sudden changes in behaviour and/or performance and refer those students to a counseling center.
In addition to counseling services being understaffed, there’s a disparity between different socioeconomic groups in average rates of mental health problems and average levels of access to counseling. Research shows that using online diagnostic services can reduce this gap, and while the College already provides access to TalkSpace, it can also extend online possibilities for requesting in-person counseling. One student shares their experience: “I’d prefer to have an online way of signing up for an appointment without having to call or show up in person.”
Perhaps the most feasible steps are those on an individual level.
Even though the actions of a particular individual may seem small, they can have a big impact, in both positive and negative ways, especially if they influence others. Something as simple as talking to one of your peers may be a good start. Studies show that the post-pandemic world is extremely lonely: as of 2025, a study led by Daniel Eisenberg found that 52 percent of college students reported high levels of loneliness.
We can make the world slightly less lonely by choosing human–human interactions, which is especially crucial during the age of AI, when the need to interact with other people (in what is called connective labor) is declining.
I also suggest that you sleep more and respect others’ right to do so by obeying quiet hours. And most importantly, reach out for help if needed, whether it’s you or somebody you’re concerned about. Social support plays a pivotal role in managing stress, as a 2025 study led by Li Ruihua states.
Mental health issues are not something we can get rid of completely, but we should all do our best to limit the damage they cause and make the world a better place for those fighting their silent battles. Everyone—administration, faculty, and students—is a part of the Colby College community and has the power to make this place a little better.
~ Rinat Ilyussizov `29
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