Up and Down

Erin Wollerton
May 4, 2021

The state of college student mental health has been challenged tremendously since the
pandemic. Live events as well as in-person interactions have become a thing of the past and a
hope for the future for many college students. This month, May, is Mental Health Awareness
Month; many organizations are fighting to raise awareness and to end the stigma surrounding
mental health, according to the American Hospital Association.

Washington State University partnered up with a festival company called the Up and Up
that hosts live concerts specifically for universities to win them. WSU student ambassadors for
the Up and Up planned, organized and won a concert for and with the help from WSU students.
The event was a concert scheduled in April 2020 with a DJ named Troyboi that was canceled
due to COVID-19.

“In terms of the student ambassadors’ mental health, there was definitely a major change
with the motivation of the students,” said Bobby Martin, Digital Content Creator and Marketing
Manager for the Up and Up. Lack of motivation could be a sign of depression, according to
University Health News.  

The absence of live events correlates with students’ feelings of isolation and loneliness.
Dr. Laureen Light, a licensed clinical psychologist, said “So much of their (college students’) life
centered around going out to live entertainment, to music venues, to concerts, clubs, and going
out dancing but that was all shut down. Along with that they were all shut down. It contributed to
their sense of feeling alone and isolated.”

When asked about the positives and what we’ve gained coming from this loss of
entertainment, Martin said, “I have a feeling that the biggest change in the music industry is
going to happen digitally, like there’s going to be something that allows the attendees to have
more say in the festival or what happens at the festival.”

Throughout the music industry, digital festivals were put on regularly during the
pandemic and the Up and Up participated in this concept, according to Martin. These digital
festivals were put on as a replacement of live concerts.

We’ve seen digital adaptations and accommodations for real life interactions in a number
of ways since the pandemic began. Among those changes involves therapy. To receive treatment
and care for mental health issues, students have turned to online therapy sessions since in-person
is no longer available. Dr. Laureen Light said online therapy has been working out fine now that
people are used to it, being a year in.

Sarah Rosenthal, WSU Alumni Masters of Interior Design, said she didn’t think she had
any mental health issues until COVID-19 made her realize she does. “A lot of people our age
seem to have mental health issues,” Rosenthal said. “And I am one of them.”
 This seemed to be the case for many other college students as well. The pandemic and
consequences that came with it impacted students with already existing mental health problems
like anxiety and depression. 200 United States college students were surveyed on their mental
health and 63% reported on their mental health state being worse now since before the pandemic,
according to the Jed Foundation.

Noemi Yale, WSU student double majoring in English and Marketing, saw a decline in
her already existing mental health problems and chose to see it as an opportunity for growth.
Although, Yale said she experienced more panic attacks at the onset of COVID-19 than ever
before. “I tried my best to not be as naturally pessimistic as I am, and challenged myself to turn
this into an opportunity to discover who I am without outside influences,” Yale said.

Rosenthal and Yale both spoke about their mental health journeys during a WSU Student
Entertainment Board talk on April 21. Brandon Flynn, star of Netflix show “13 Reasons Why,”
was asked questions during this zoom talk subsequent to Rosenthal and Yale giving their
speeches. During this talk, speakers shared their stories and offered resources of support to
participants watching. Zoom meeting talks are replacements for live events the SEB would
naturally put on prior to the pandemic.

Dr. Laureen Light said the need for mental health just exploded. The amount of people
seeking help for anxiety and depression skyrocketed in 2020, according to Mental Health
America.

Youth and adults still experience an unmet need for mental health treatment and care,
according to Mental Health America. It is now more important than ever before to help those
who are struggling and to continue spreading awareness about the mental health movement,
according to Centerstone.

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