Derby

Take your mental health seriously

By Caitlin Kennedy September 14, 2019

This Tuesday was World Suicide Prevention Day. I want to take this chance to inform students of the resources available to them here at Rensselaer.

As we all know, school can be stressful and sometimes we need help managing that stress. Here at RPI, we are working with numerous groups and organizations to help end the stigma surrounding mental health on college campuses. We have programs through the Mueller Center’s Wellness Institute called Mental Health Mondays which are super fun ways to gain small tips and tricks on how to handle the stressors at RPI. We also have student-run clubs like Active Minds that promote awareness of the importance of mental health. Part of the Student Health Services is Counseling Services which is staffed by three licensed Ph.D. psychologists and two social workers with specialized training in college health issues.

Counseling Services are available to all students and they provide a variety of services including individual and couples therapy, faculty consultation, and outreach services. Their website lists a variety of external resources, one of which is the National Crisis Text Line which you can access by texting HOME to 741741. It will connect you with a crisis counselor if you are in need of immediate assistance.

We are young professionals and we are in college to grow. I encourage everyone to find a support system and take their mental health just as seriously as their physical health. You are all here for a reason and you deserve to be here. Check out these available resources and don’t forget about them! If you need to vent or have any questions you can always reach out to any of your student leaders, including myself. As students, we all aim to support each other through the roller coaster ride that is our four years here.

On another note, applications for Executive Board Representatives are now open! This is a great way to get involved on campus. There are currently three voting positions open and even more non-voting positions. If you are looking to find your niche here at RPI, this could be it. The Rensselaer Union Executive Board is the financial branch of the student government. Our committees are also where the majority of the work gets done and are a great, low commitment way to get invested. Next week, I will share a guide of all our committee meeting times and locations. I hope you check them out!