Midterm Stress Adds to CCNY Students’ Mental Health Issues

With midterms on the horizon, many CCNY students are experiencing growing feelings of anxiety – intersecting with the rise of mental instability on campuses across the country. Recent data from Inside Higher Ed’s 2024 Student Voice survey of 5,025 undergraduates found that two in five students say their mental health impacts their ability to focus, learn, and perform academically “ a great deal.”

Even before the pandemic shook up the emotional health of college students, midterms caused instability. The Minds@UW study, conducted at the University of Wisconsin, and released in early 2021, revealed stress leading to anxiety, depression, and lack of performance increase on test day.

Sam Min, a 22-year-old CCNY senior, said she could relate to the experiences detailed in the report. “When I am having anxiety, I start to procrastinate,” said Min, a psychology major. “I become worse with my time management skills which affects my work and studies.”

The imbalance between personal life and education creates an emotional roller coaster for many students, adding to a disruption of cognitive abilities. “Overwhelmed with too much to do in such little time,” said Abraham Amaya, 32, a business management major. “When you are so focused on school, little things like dishes in the sink piss you off.”

CCNY psychology professor Bob Melora emphasized the serious health-related effects caused by midterm stress. “Students tend to take less care of themselves becoming sleep deprived, later weakening their immune system,” said Professor Melora. “Depending on the level of preparation, a student’s ability to focus is affected by the anxiety of the work ahead.”

As the midterm season draws closer, anxiety will continue to loom over CCNY, making some students pay less attention to their health. She suggests practical self-care: “Go take a walk, cool down, take one day to yourself, and get back to square one,” said Min.

City College strives to provide students with resources to improve mental health. The Counseling Center organizes in-person workshops that focus on obstacles within daily life that create stress and strain. If you can’t attend in person,  you can attend a workshop through Zoom. Regular in-person counseling sessions are also available at the Counseling Center located in Marshak J15. The flyer below fully lists all workshops, the dates, and times. Anyone can RSVP on the website using the link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VQC3RLX  as well as the QR code.