Studies show young adults have experienced “disproportionately worse mental health outcomes, increased substance abuse and elevated suicidal ideation due to COVID-19.”  

The Center for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) reported on June 24 that due to COVID-19, young adults have been experiencing considerably elevated mental health conditions.

The CDC suggested that public health should increase intervention and prevention efforts that prioritize young adults.

Reports also show that during the months of April and June, the symptoms of anxiety disorder and depressive disorder increased in the U.S. due to COVID-19.

“I honestly think schools should just shut down,” Talia Parker, a junior at Oakland University, said. “The stress levels of not knowing every time I go to campus is exhausting.” 

Parker also deals with asthma and has a daily fear of going to the campus during COVID-19.

Oakland University (OU) has been putting up weekly responses in the matter of COVID-19 to keep students updated as school progresses, as well as when new things about COVID-19 are discovered.

OU has also released an online magazine called “COVID-19 Response.”

OU’s Graham Health Center (GHC), offers student’s counseling during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The center offers tips on how to keep healthy during this time as well as mental health support from physician’s assistants and nurse practitioners. The hours for the center are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday (closed from 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m.).

The GHC also offers COVID-19 testing for OU students and antibody testing for $50. Students must make appointments to receive testing.

OU also suggests students do a screening online before coming to campus to keep numbers of COVID-19 infections down.

Although OU does offer mental health support, students like Parker will not be able to benefit from it due to the fear of coming on campus. 

“Due to it being multiple people in one area, I’d rather stay as far from campus as I can and deal with the stress myself,” Parker said. “I’m skeptical of the people who don’t care about the pandemic that would attend those events.” 

Another issue that students across the country are facing is heightening stress levels is enrollment. Due to COVID-19 shutting down jobs, students who get college reimbursement from their jobs are no longer able to access those funds.

“Students can’t enroll, because they are waiting on layoff schedules which determines if they get school funding or not,” said Kimberly Hoagland, Lead Enrollment Counselor, of Colorado State University.

Hoagland stated that due to the pandemic, her entire management staff over enrollment was laid off due to COVID-19, which resulted in enrollment statuses declining rapidly.

COVID-19 related updates information will be posted under the OU COVID-19 informational tab on their website. Information on the Graham Health Center services can be found on their individual website as well.

To learn more on the COVID-19 pandemic effect on college students, there is the weekly newsletter at cdc.gov.