UGA Students Search for ‘Just One Person’ to Lean on During COVID-19
College students and university officials discuss the importance of a support system during COVID-19. While many students look for the support of a large friend group, officials state that just one person can make the world of difference.
College students are in a pivotal time of life. They must transition into the “real world” and balance the stress of deciding what and who they want to be. In the midst of COVID-19, many college students have found themselves struggling to stay afloat.
University staff and officials say that the support of one person is enough to make a great difference in the standing of a student’s mental health.
Maggie Blanton, the director of services with UGA’s Division of Academic Enhancement, works with college students of all grades, helping them cope with academic troubles amongst many other challenges that may arise in during their time at UGA. Blanton knows the importance of finding a solidified support system to encourage and assist students along the way.
“It only takes one person. And in fact, there’s research, decades of field research that says for a student who’s struggling, especially if they’re first generation, finding one person can mean the difference between dropping out and staying in college. So you know, that person can then unlock a lot of other resources,” said Blanton.
There is great importance in the idea of having a support system, but taking action to identify one’s support system is what makes a difference in the state of the student’s mental health.
Many students across UGA’s campus have identified a support system during this time, whether it be one person or a multitude of people. One of these people in particular is Claire Camak, a third-year student.
“I have gotten a lot of support from one person in particular, and that’s my academic advisor. He has been so helpful during this time, and just making sure I feel kind of just, he just checks in on how I’m doing when we have those advising zooms, and just asks me questions about how he can support me better. And he has probably been the best person during this time,” said Camak.
While Camak turned to the support of her academic advisor, other students have turned to family members and friends in the community for support during this period of social isolation.
“I have a few different support systems. I have a support system within my cohort, which is a group of about five of us and we just sit there and talk about what is going on in our lives and process through all of our experiences and our worries. But I also have an outside system, so like a biblical support system through my church and my community groups,” said Kimberly Dills, a graduate student at UGA.
Dills and Camak are just two students who are leaning on the support of those around them, whether it be a university official or a member of their social circle, to ensure that they are discussing what they are going through and feeling in the midst of COVID-19.
In addition to students finding their own support systems, it is also important to identify the available support systems within the university. Stan Jackson, who works with Student Care and Outreach as the Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs, detailed the outlets created by the university for students in the following statement.
“Student Care and Outreach provides individual assistance and tailored interventions for students who are experiencing hardship. During COVID-19, Student Care and Outreach has been coordinating support for students who report information through the DawgCheck system, including contacting faculty, assisting with University Housing relocation, and other necessities. Student Care and Outreach continues to work with faculty and staff to support students while they transition to online and hybrid learning before, during, and after their isolation or quarantine periods. The office’s communication has shifted to primarily phone and Zoom calls, but is still open to in-person meetings in our conference room for both scheduled appointments and walk-ins. Our priority is to assist students in any way we can as they navigate this pandemic and how it affects their daily lives here at UGA. We continue to encourage students to reach out to our office if they need any additional assistance and support.”
After passing the year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, it comes as no surprise that college students are facing immense amounts of stress and anxiety due to their college journey being masked by social distancing policies and virtual learning. What does come as a concern for the students and those who care for them, is the existence of a solidified support system to ensure that these students are not barely staying afloat between classes.
A support system is necessary to ensure that students are feeling confident in their education program and confident in the standing of their mental health. That is why the university must work alongside students to create a team of support, even if that team includes just one person, and make sure that each and every student has found their person to depend on.
