Think of a bubble. Round, shiny, filled with soap, little kids love them, they represent something that is youthful and fun. Now, think of a metaphoric bubble: safe, familiar and sheltered, just like your hometown growing up. For many of us, we grew up in sheltered communities or "bubbles" commonly known as suburbia. Similar to a physical bubble, it was youthful, fun and for the most part we loved living there.
Growing up in these bubbles led us to think that we would always be safe and that no matter what we would have our parents to lean on in a time of despair. We didn't worry much about crime, death, finances and so on. Growing up in this bubble made our youthful years amazing, but extremely naive.
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Fast forward to the end of high school, now it's time to finally leave the bubble and go on to college. We start experiencing all of these new things in life that we certainly were not prepared for.
Intense pressure to succeed.
Unhealthy relationships.
Financial issues.
Loss of a loved one.
Academic struggles.
Insecurities.
Job search struggles.
And so much more.
Where did these come from? A few years ago, I was the happiest person ever. I had an awesome group of high school friends, school was easy, I didn't worry much about money, I had a roof over my head and food to eat. Life was so much better. That is a common thought among college kids all over the United States.
But want to hear something scarier than any of those things?
The suicide rate among college students has TRIPLED since the 1950s.
When asking college students why they think this is occurring, this is what they had to say:
"College campuses are some of the most important places to focus on suicide prevention because they're areas of such high pressure and stress. College is where you're supposed to choose what to do with the rest of your life, which is a daunting task for anyone, but when added to the pressures of maintaining good grades, a social life and any outside stressors like family or friends from home, its not hard to see how it could become too much for someone to handle. Many students feel like they don't have anywhere or anyone to turn to that can effectively help them through the hard times. Colleges need to be doing more for suicide prevention like providing better mental health services like therapists and psychiatrists and making it known to students what mental health services they already have. There's also a large stigma surrounding mental health problems, which colleges should be working to lessen so that students feel comfortable seeking help instead of ashamed or embarrassed. Students need to know that its okay to not be okay all the time. With suicide as one of the leading causes of death for college students, its safe to say that there is a definite need for more suicide prevention programs on college campuses."
- Caroline Braunstein, College of William & Mary
"Suicide prevention is becoming more prevalent with the rise in college-age people committing suicide. Therefore it's my own opinion that suicide prevention tactics need to be talked about more on campuses worldwide. Students may feel the pressure of academics, extra-curricular, part-time jobs, relationships and healthy routines bearing down on them until they crumble. Students need to band together to prevent our peers from cracking under the pressure. By students starting simple conversations and going out of their way to be friendly, they can make someone think twice about hurting themselves."
-Kaitlyn Mital, Sacred Heart University
"College is a big adjustment for any student. The stress from all the school work and potentially not knowing very many or no one at your school isn’t easy. Many students can find themselves feeling alone and start thinking unclearly. It is important college campuses offer suicide prevention programs and hotlines so that anyone who feels alone can have someone to talk to".
- Annie McLaney, University of Alabama
We can all agree that universities need to implement more campaigns to raise awareness for suicide prevention, as well as provide more resources to students. College campuses are now starting text hotlines offering immediate help, but there is more to be done.
We need to start changing the way we think about suicide and notice the signs earlier on. It will never hurt asking if someone is okay, and even if they say they are, a simple "I'm here if you need to talk" can make a huge difference.
Suicide is darkening college campuses all over the United States, and before it gets worse we need to remind ourselves that we are all here on this Earth for a purpose and that everyone is accomplishing great things and your life is worth living. We all have rough days, months and years — but we can't let that change our forever. Regardless of how alone you are feeling, you're not. Everyone is loved and cared for by someone, which is why this feeling of loneliness while surrounded by thousands needs to be brought to attention.
Randomly tell your friends you love them.
Reach out to the person eating lunch alone.
Give everyone a chance to tell their stories about their struggles before you jump into yours.
And most importantly, pay attention.
Everyone deserves to have a happy life on this Earth, don't let your friends or people you know cut it short.
