I interviewed a few of my friends at Temple about their recent experiences with mental health.  

First I asked about the biggest stressors in their lives. Most said it was school related issues, turning in work, passing required classes, decisions about majors, etc. Someone answered that her major is “competitive in a way that [she] isn’t used to competing.” Certain fields becoming more popular leads to students needing to prove their skill over others in order to advance. Others said that their path for the future and the career choices they will make stress them out the most. Young students having the pressure of choosing a career to spend the rest of their lives in, while also making six figure financial decisions can really way down on them.

For my second question, I asked for opinions on the increasing rates of depression and anxiety in teens and college students. Three of my interviewees expressed the pressure of finding jobs in today’s climate. The job market is so competitive and a college education does not guarantee employment like it may have in the past. The other two saw that social media played more of a role. Users may feel pressured to “please others” by “constantly showing others your life” and seeking “approval by other people, which can really stress you out,” someone stated. Social media can also show us unattainable standards to hold ourselves to.

I eventually asked whether they felt that temple offered enough clear support for student’s mental health. The overarching opinion was that Temple made the services clear and was fairly accommodating, but could improve on how accessible the resources are. According to one student, “a lot of the problems that are more in depth require you to pay extra” to get help, which considering tuition and other costs may not be feasible for students that need it.