Resources That Can Come From a Well Funded School

By Jennica So

Throughout my years in middle school and high school, I had always dealt with depression and anxiety. I remember that I had a hard time processing it and talking about it. It became something that was easy to hide from my peers and my family members. There weren’t any resources that I had that I could use to even understand what I was going through. The first time I had dealt with my depression and anxiety was in middle school. It was truly confusing and I felt very alone and throughout those years, I didn’t feel that any adult figures at the school even knew about it. I feel that this is just because mental health might not have been as prevalent as it is now. Yet, there weren’t resources given and there wasn’t a person you could talk to about it. What’s even more concerning is that we are growing up in a time where social media is heavily used; and we are still experiencing the effects of a very long pandemic, all while our children are developing and finding out who they are.

When I first came to Chico State University, it was such a weird period of time because I never expected to leave home for college. It felt very freeing in a way, but it was all so new. I didn’t really know the resources they had to offer or how to navigate my way to get those resources. Yet, every single year that I have been a student here, it has gotten better and better. In the main memorial building, they turned a whole study area into The Well. This center offers nap pods, massage areas, designated quiet spaces, mediation and yoga classes, mental health counseling services, and so much more. The Well hasn’t always been there since I have been a student, but I recall in almost all my classes my professors would make sure to always talk about the mental health resources available on campus. Teachers also became truly understanding of mental health situations and would check in and want to hear about how we were doing. The campus also has a great gym that has different types of workouts and classes where you are able to go with friends and meet people. There is also a health center right on campus that is super accessible by scheduling an appointment or even walking in. The campus also provides a food pantry, great academic counselors, and so many other resources for their students and faculty.,  In recent years, they have also handed out drug test kits in class and have had people come in and talk about how to use them or what to do if you are in a situation where you could be at risk when doing drugs. Throughout my years at Chico State, it has become prevalent that they want to provide the best resources for their students and want to create a healthy environment for every student.

I believe that funding for all schools is super important and necessary. If all schools were allocated funds and prioritized like higher education is, students would have the help they need for all the things they are facing in their lives. This allows them to not feel ashamed of what might be happening and ask and receive the help they need. They would also be more able to focus on their academics and strive for new opportunities they could have! Every student—whether in preschool or in graduate school— deserves to have these types of resources and equitable opportunities!