Leah Hamilton & Sydney Hackenberg | staff writers 
 
With the start of a new chapter, many first-year college students are faced with unknown situations and are learning to process their surroundings.

When freshman BB Amissah moved into Duquesne this fall, she felt like she lost a vital connection in her life the second her parents walked out the door.

She said when exams rolled in, she began to interact with her fellow classmates and even upperclassmen in hopes of bonding over the stressors that come with college life.

“Being a nursing major is one of the most fulfilling aspects of my life … But it is a 10 out of 10 stressor,” Amissah said.

Amissah described the stress of managing a college workload, but also a social life.

“If you don’t find a community fast, you feel misplaced,” Amissah said.

Alexis Redding, developmental psychologist and expert on the college experience, wrote in Harvard Business Impact that there are five phases freshman tend to go through within their first year.

First is the honeymoon phase, filled with excitement and new beginnings; culture shock follows as students realize the demands of college; then an initial adjustment, when students reach an easy routine; the typical homesickness follows, which is often the most difficult part.

Finally, the connectedness phase is when students have fully adjusted.

These phases span the entire year, with most students not reaching connectedness until well into their spring semester, according to Redding. The prolonged adjustment period can take a toll on mental health.

Freshmen are not the only students to suffer from school-related stress.

“Learning to manage your emotions and consider other’s emotions as well is a learning curve in your upper years,” junior occupational therapy major Anna Schroeder said.

Upperclassmen are looking to start their career, whether it be through internships or job connections. The search can affect their mental health, even after mastering everyday college life.

“Going into junior year, classes and extracurriculars definitely pile up and it’s honestly a constantly growing experience,” Schroeder said.

Not every student’s situation is the same, but Duquesne has various tools aimed to help everyone.

At Duquesne, Counseling Services is a place where students can receive help regarding their mental wellbeing and the everyday stress of life.

The Counseling Services office offers individual therapy, group therapy and crisis support — all of which are free to students.

Lindsey Harris, Duquesne triage therapist and case manager for the free services, said students face mental health concerns for a number of reasons.

“‘Overwhelmth’ is the highest factor I’ve seen,” Harris said. “So much is happening in the world right now, from environment to politics and having all that on top of school — It’s an overwhelming experience.”

Harris said students are not always comfortable speaking to a counselor or recognizing that they even need help.

“With the taboo of counseling and vulnerability being presented, students might not want to connect with that,” Harris said.

She added that Counseling Services is actively working toward creating a safe space so students can feel comfortable working on their personal challenges.

“We meet students where they are and work between margins to ensure they get over here,” Harris said.

Amissah said The Village, a group therapy meant for Black students offered by Counseling Services, has especially helped her journey at Duquesne.

“[They] have been a huge support for me,” she said. “We’ve been able to share experiences and seriously discuss heavy hitting conversations that allow us to speak our minds.”

Amissah said the group has built a sense of community for her that is starting to feel like a second family.

Schroeder said during her first year, she used counseling as a way to handle the pressures of being a new student.

“As a second resource for managing stress and adjusting to college, they were all super nice and supportive,” she said.

The Counseling Services center is always growing and working to expand their abilities, according to Harris.

The university works with the JED Foundation, which focuses on evaluating and bettering mental health services along with other services offered by colleges, according to their website.

Harris said whether it be homesickness or stressing about a summer internship, Duquesne’s Counseling Services are there to help.

“Your mental health matters. You are a human before you are a student or friend. You are a person. Be gentle with yourself,” she said.

Counseling Services is located on the third floor of the Gumberg Library and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Leah Hamilton can be reached at hamiltonl4@duq.edu

Sydney Hackenberg can be reached at hackenbergs@duq.edu