Ethan Rauch

As finals week slowly approaches, and the looming winter months carefully close in, college students may be finding themselves in tough situations fighting depression, anxiety, or increased levels of stress.

I recently sat down with Dr. Karen Gould, the director of CAPS at Penn State Abington, and asked her why this time of the year can be extra stressful on students.

“A student has been working incredibly hard all semester, about fifteen or sixteen weeks, to prepare for these cumulative examinations,” Dr. Gould said. “And passing or failing can have a significant impact on their education, potentially moving forward in college, and I think a lot of pressure comes along with that.”

“I think students are weighed down by it sometimes, with the amount of studying that they have to do to prepare. Some students have finals that are cumulative, which is a lot of pressure around remembering a lot of information from the semester. So, it can be very, very challenging.”

According to the American Psychological Association, the 2020-2021 school year saw that, at minimum, 60% of college students exhibited symptoms of having at-least one problem with their mental health.

In today’s world, mental health is being given a new vision of importance, with prominent athletes like Lane Johnson openly speaking out about their struggles. By doing so, people dealing with mental health issues are being shown that it’s okay to not be okay. And with the struggles they deal with, whether similar or different to others, they are not alone in their individual battles.

For those unfamiliar, CAPS is otherwise known as Penn State Abington’s ‘Counseling and Psychological Services.’ According to their website, which can be found here, CAPS is a place where “students can get emotional support tailored to their individual needs.” Their offerings include counseling services, walk-in consultations, 24/7 crisis resources, and a peer counseling program.

There is currently one licensed psychologist and two licensed professional counselors a part of the department. According to her biography on the page directory, Dr. Gould is not only the current CAPS director, but also its founder. Her biography also specifically details her as having an expertise in “individual and group psychotherapy, psychodynamic and family systems theory, neurobiology, psychopharmacology, depression, anxiety, childhood abuse and attachment trauma, suicide, serious mental illness, identity development, LGBTQ+, multicultural psychology, racial trauma, and social justice.”

The recent COVID-19 pandemic came up in my dialogue with Dr. Gould. According to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH) for the 2020-21 school year, out of all the students who came to CAPS 61.2% identified that they felt more feelings of loneliness and isolation due to the situations caused by the pandemic. 69.2% also said their mental health was negatively impacted, as well as 68.4% saying they had more problems with motivation and focus.

For those who do struggle with their mental health, Dr. Gould suggests that one of the most helpful methods of dealing with their mental health issues is therapy.

“I think therapy is really beneficial for people,” Dr. Gould said. “I think it’s really helpful for somebody to be able to have a professional to talk to and have that total focus on them and what they’re dealing with, and their issues, and getting a very kind of individualized plan for how to deal with whatever it is they’re struggling with.”

“Even if it’s just a few sessions, or even if it’s just coming in once during a drop-in hour, I think that can be really helpful.”

Additionally, Dr. Gould suggests that any kind of physical activity can also help better one’s mental health.

“Any type of physical activity is really good for your mental health,” Dr. Gould said. “As your heart rate is increasing, and you’re using your muscles and you’re working out, your brain is releasing endorphins and enkephalins, and it’s really helpful for anxiety and depression and other mental health struggles.”

Undoubtedly, the timing of finals also coincides with the beginning of winter break. Abington’s Fall semester officially ends on December 9th, but with finals week just following, students might still have tasks to tend to until December 15th. From there, winter break officially begins, lasting until the beginning of the 2023 Spring semester on January 9th.

I asked Dr. Gould about the importance of students using this opportunity as a means to mentally recharge themselves for what’s to come.

“I think reset is so important over breaks,” Dr. Gould said. “So, if students are able to take the time they have over the break to spend time with their loved ones and their friends, and be as social as they are as comfortable being. I think having those opportunities to refuel by being around people you might not have been able to see, because you were studying so hard during the academic semester.”

She also suggests that students generally use this time by participating in any “self-care” that they’ve learned to bring them comfort, whether it be reading, listening to music, watching TV or movies, or playing video-games.

Even so, Dr. Gould spoke to me saying it’s important for students to not fully disconnect themselves from the world around them.

“You definitely don’t want to take the time and sort of hibernate, and not do anything, because that can really lead to depression, and also anxiety,” Dr. Gould said. “Sometimes it is helpful to be thinking and planning ahead for things that will help you.”

One thing that was also emphasized in our dialogue is the importance of being present in the current moment.

“[What’s] really beneficial is enjoying the moments while you’re in them,” Dr. Gould said. “Mindfulness meditation is helpful for that, learning how to be present and be in the moment that you’re in. So, when you are doing something enjoyable, finding a way to stay present in that moment and enjoy that, and not also be in your head, thinking about what’s coming next.”

For students who do have a good handle on their academics and course work over a typical school week, Dr. Gould suggested acclimating oneself to better methods of planning and preparation could be beneficial for one’s overall mental health and their academic or professional careers in the long-term.

“There may come a time in [a student’s] studies, or in their career, or their future where life may get even a little bit more pressure filled,” Dr. Gould said. “So, learning those techniques ahead of time, for organizing and planning can be really beneficial. And if students are practicing that, even when they’re not feeling pressure, then times in their life when they may experience more pressure, they’ll be able to put that into place a little bit better.”

Students can find CAPS on campus in the Cloverly building and can access an emergency crisis line should they need it at 1-877-229-6400.