COVID-19 & College:

COVID-19 & College: The Invisible Effects

By: Liv Allen Layout: Madison DePover + Kate Furr

COVID-19 has sparked an era of uncertainty in both the United States and worldwide. The looming concern of public safety, economic turmoil, and the livelihood of many being drastically altered has caused mental anguish for millions of Americans.

One of the groups, arguably most affected by the pandemic, is college students—who already face record levels of mental health challenges.

In a survey conducted by Active Minds in April, 80% of college students nationwide say COVID-19 has negatively affected their mental health.

A study published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health concluded that of 195 students participating in the study 71% indicated increased stress and anxiety due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Multiple stressors were identified that contributed to the increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depressive thoughts among student; 91% reported fear and worry about their own health and of their loved ones, 89% reported difficulty in concentrating, 86% reported disruptions to sleeping patterns, 86% reported decreased social interactions due to physical distancing and 82% reported increased concerns on academic performance.

Many psychologists, psychiatrists, and therapists have seen an uptick of college students needing therapy since COVID-19 made its debut in the U.S.

Dr. Ellie Olson, Licensed Psychologist and Associate Dean of Counseling, Health and Leadership at Simpson College spoke on the many impacts the pandemic has on the mental health of college students.

“We have seen an uptick in number of appointments attended and number of students attending sessions as compared with this point in the semester last fall,” Olson said. “It’s clear that some of that is attributable to COVID and its consequences, while some of that may be that there is easier access due to offering teletherapy. I think in general, COVID has caused a significant amount of anxiety because of the amount of uncertainty, change, unpredictability and loss that it has led to and continues to lead to.” Change and uncertainty can be difficult for anyone to comprehend, but especially for those struggling with their mental health.

Change and uncertainty can be difficult for anyone to comprehend, but especially for those struggling with their mental health.

“We don’t know when this is going to end, so we continue to anticipate for changes and losses,” Olson said. “All of that different, big and small, takes energy. When energy is given to manage COVID or the changes COVID has led to, that takes energy away from other places—school, relationships, and managing our own mental health.”

Dr. Olson is among the many professionals in her field pushing for wider access to mental health services and normalizing therapy among college students.

“Now more than ever, emotional support is necessary … I’d say that offering teletherapy is the best thing at we at Simpson and that any other college can do to support mental health right now,” Olson said. “On a larger level, working to normalize the impact and consequence of COVID on our lives is important. Being graceful, flexible, and compassionate with ourselves and others is helpful. Everyone needs to lower expectations of themselves and others because our energy level is depleted...this does not mean that we have no expectations or responsibilities.”

During unprecedented times like these, sometimes controlling the controllable can make all the difference.

“Focusing on what you can control, knowing that so much is beyond our control, is important,” Olson said. “Creating structure and predictability where we can goes a long way.”

Looking at the state of Iowa specifically, it ranks 44th in the nation in mental health care providers per capita, according to the United Health Foundation’s 2019 America’s Health Rankings.

Students from across higher education institutions in Iowa are willing to share their experiences with mental health during COVID-19. From social starvation to financial worry, to seeking therapy and more—these testimonies shed light on the many implications this pandemic has had on college students.

Here are their stories.

Jeramy Randol

Simpson College ‘21

Sports Administration and Business Management Double Major

“At the beginning of the pandemic, I would say that my mental health was pretty stable, but after having to be isolated from everybody for a few months it began to decline. It got to the point where I repeatedly was doing the same thing every day and at times did not even want to get out of bed. Moving to online classes was a huge adjustment for everybody but I think that took a big toll on people, including myself. My 21st birthday was also during the middle of quarantine, so it was a little disappointing to not be able to celebrate with my friends like most people get to do. It has been a draining time with so much uncertainty, especially from an athletics standpoint. Not knowing whether I was going to get to play my senior football season also played a huge part in my mental health. While there has been development of a Spring season it is still disappointing because there will not be a conference champion or a chance to play in the national playoffs. As a senior who is not coming back for a 5th year it’s a punch in the gut to not be able to get one last chance to bring a championship back to Indianola. I do not want to say the motivation is gone for the spring season, because it’s not, but I do think that the conference could have done a better of job of thinking about the athletes’ mental health when making their decision.”

“While COVID-19 produced a lot of negative situations it also provided a few positive ones. I was able to focus a lot more on improving myself. I started to eat better and work out a lot more, there wasn’t much more I could do considering I live on a farm. This allowed me to physically become a healthier individual which was something I had been trying to do for a while.”

“I think the biggest stressor for me during this time has been all of the uncertainty. Unsure if we would come back to Simpson, unsure if there would be a football season, unsure if there would be a job market after graduation, unsure if grad school would be a possibility or not and the list goes on. I am a person who likes to have a plan and if my plan gets messed up a little bit it stresses me out. Before COVID-19, I felt I had a good idea of what I wanted to do and had a solid plan, but when it turned into a global pandemic some of my plans fell through. It has been an adjustment for everybody, and we have to be adaptable but that is easier said than done.”

“I personally do not seek professional help for my mental health, but I think that it is very important that people realize that it is okay and should not be frowned upon to do so. Due to COVID-19, my mental health was pretty low, so I started doing research on it and came across an online conference for student-athletes across the country to talk about their struggles with mental health. This event was put on by a friend of mine who is the founder of the Dam Worth It campaign out at Oregon State University so I thought it would be a good event to sit in on. It was just what I needed, and I now am connected with athletes all over the country ranging from the PAC 12 to the Ivy League. We all have each other’s backs, which is a rewarding feeling. Because of this conference, it led to the creation of Storm Speaks here at Simpson. For me, simply talking about mental health with other people is what helps me, knowing that other people go through a lot of the same things that I do and that it is okay to feel the way that I am. The power of listening is huge in my opinion. You never know what someone is going through so by simply listening to someone when they want to talk can have a strong impact on them. Overall, by continuing the conversation of mental health and ending the stigma surrounding it my personal mental health is boosted.”

Hannah Kelley

University of N. Iowa ‘22

Sports Psychology and Social Work Double Major

“COVID-19 has definitely negatively impacted my mental health, especially being someone who actually did get COVID-19 and was forced to be in isolation--couldn’t see a single person, couldn’t leave my bedroom to do anything at all--it drove me mad. I have really noticed that my anxiety has been so much worse now than it was three months ago.”

“The social aspect of COVID-19 has been the hardest. Not being able to go out and talk to people as I normally would, or go out to dinner with people as I normally do and the fear that no matter what I do could be potentially endangering somebody else really stresses me out more than I’ve ever been before.”

“I’ve noticed that during this time I’ve been reaching out to the people that I normally reach out to for help even more so, just for somebody to talk to or get support from. I’ve also been reaching out to my doctor because I almost feel like the dosage of my antidepressants needs to be up because, with all this, things just aren’t going very well mentally.”

Jon Bassier

Drake university ‘22 Marketing and Public Relations Double Major

“This has taken a toll on my mental health … for the first three months I was back at home, which always tends to have a bit of an impact on my mental health--not saying my family is at fault for that, I just like being out in the world by myself. Those first three months being at home were not ideal, it was just really lonely. I would try and do a lot of Zoom calls with friends which was fun, but also just not the same. I still really felt like I was missing out on a lot of things I could be doing if school was still in session. Moving back to Des Moines still felt really lonely, you know, not being able to genuinely hang out with people and have those interactions which is something super important to me and for my personality.”

“School was a lot more stressful for me, especially the fact that I wasn’t in class. I have ADHD, so I already have a hard enough time paying attention when I’m in class and forced to pay attention and be present where I’m at, so being online was way more difficult for me to focus. Being in the same spot in my room doing homework every day when I can’t really get out and go to classrooms or go to different places on campus to study has made it really difficult for me. I also need those professor-to-student interactions, and I’m not able to get that right now. So yeah, school is way more difficult for me right now.”

“I have had a lot of job insecurity issues since COVID-19 started. I had a couple possible internships lined up and they both ended up getting canceled. So the only thing I could find on short-notice was working as a DoorDash driver for the whole summer, which was not really my plan at all. I was really looking forward to my summer internship, so it stunk not being able to take that job.”

“Due to COVID-19, I’ve been actively trying to find a therapist for myself. I’ve kind of been neglecting making that phone call for a while. The person I used to see actually got laid off in the middle of April, once COVID-19 was really starting to hit. She had originally written my prescription for my medications, too, so I no longer have her to go to for that. I need someone else to talk to and someone else to prescribe my meds, especially since I’ve been thinking about upping the dosage. It’s difficult no longer having that person to go talk to, which has caused me to suppress some of the things I need to be talking about, which is not good. This has all really prompted me to make some changes regarding my mental health.”

Jaxen Minkalis

University of Iowa ‘22Communications Studies Major

“From an economic standpoint it’s bad … it’s definitely been more of a financial stress. I had to get a second job so I could pay my f*cking bills; a full time college student shouldn’t need two jobs to support themselves, do you know what I mean? That’s definitely something I had to learn the other side of-- the grind of a college student. The one that has eight shifts in seven days with barely enough time for school and still on the edge financially.”

“There are two sides to that question [how time was spent during self-isolation/quarantine], one side, yeah, we were given all of this free time. All we have is time, and of course, there are things that you can do as far as self-improvement- -eat better, get better sleep, shit like that--but then, four months later, you’re kinda out of things to do, you know? There’s only so much you can do … There’s a plateau, for sure, and it’s a hard plateau. There are only so many outlets that we can use at the moment to better ourselves. If none of this shit was going on, we’d obviously have more opportunities to get out and better ourselves or enhance different skills. There are certain things in your life that require [social] interaction in order for you to get better. Before COVID-19, I was going to be the head party planner at the bar I work at. I was lining up DJ spots, getting people to come fill the reservation spots, and not all of it is just gone. I was trying to get better at event-planning, or even planning in general, but now I have no way of doing that. Just as there are a lot of things we do have time to do and get better at, there are an infinite number of things that we can’t.”

“It’s so hard, losing the ability to live our lives normally … all the sh*t that we like to do we can’t do anymore. Everybody is affected by this and it’s ridiculous.”

Jordyn Wilson

Simpson College ‘22

Multikedia Journalism Major

“For the most part the impact has been negative because I’m already a shy person. I kind of stick to myself anyways, but I do definitely make my own routines and that gives me the social aspect of my life. I usually go hang out with certain people and when we have these restrictions where we can’t go see those people, it makes me shut down. Now I only hang out in my room, and I usually don’t go home during the weekends, but I’ve been going home every single weekend just so I can be with my family and have someone to be with. For the most part, it’s been pretty negative because I’m in my room almost 24/7, but it’s also caused me to focus more on school...which can be a good and bad thing, so I definitely overwork myself. It kind of helps with my grades and that sort of thing, but it can also be hard on my mental healt too.”

“During the school year I can’t work—I mentally do not have the capacity to do that, so usually I make as much money as I can during the summer working a couple jobs and then use that money to last throughout the school year. This year, I wasn’t able to do that. The places I previously worked at didn’t have any openings, or just didn’t open, so I had to make my own little businesses. I made signs and stuff to try and make extra money. So, money is definitely a big stressor and funds are low right now. Other than that, a big stressor for me is the fact that my social life has been depleted, I need that and a routine or I’ll get stressed and worry myself out. I need a routine and I need to be able to follow it.”

katie burns

Simpson College ‘23

Graphic Desogn Major

“COVID has made a negative impact on my mental health tremendously. During quarantine in March, I hated not going out of the house and doing my daily routine. I’m the type of person that always has to be doing something, and when the state was ordered to quarantine, I knew it wasn’t going to be a good experience.”

“My most significant stressor is still not having a full sense of normal when it comes to my outside activities. Softball practices being in pods, Zoom meetings 24/7 and not being able to see my peers outside of my dorm as much as I want to. All those things were a sense of comfort and normality, but with all the restrictions, its not the same.”

“Since I got to school, my mental health didn’t improve as much as I thought and it came down to meeting with a counselor on campus. I had about 2-3 sessions and being able to talk about my feelings with someone has truly impacted my mental health. Being able to have that person you can tell anything too without being judge is very warming. I was put on medication before I got to school, but I have not increased dosage.”