Student Involvement at RUOK event put on by OSU Suicide Prevention Program in 2018. Credit: Ohio State Suicide Prevention Program Website
In a time of isolation, members of mental health awareness clubs at Ohio State want students to know that they are there for them –– even with a computer screen between them.
The Buckeye Campaign Against Suicide and Black Mental Health Coalition continue to hold virtual meetings and events to help ease the stress and loneliness some students might feel during the pandemic. Amanda Cinadr, a third-year in health sciences and BCAS vice president, said the club has seen a lot of participation this year, especially from first-year students.
“People are just looking for somebody to talk to, and they’re all so lonely,” Cinadr said. “It’s so sad because there’s nothing that they can go do, and they can’t even come meet us in person. But that’s been a pretty constant theme is isolation and feeling loneliness.”
Cinadr said she believes having spaces where students are encouraged to talk through these issues helps to combat the stigmas surrounding mental health and suicide.
“I think it’s been really good for people to know that there’s people here who want to hear about your day, and we care about what you have to say,” Cinadr said. “Even if it’s something small that you don’t think other people in your life want to hear, we’re here, we’re sharing our thing, we’re being vulnerable, and it’s OK for you to do the same.”
Racially driven protests and violence during this past year and beyond have been frustrating and upsetting for many in the Black community, so mental health resources are imperative, Arin Perkins, a fourth-year in sociology and BHMC vice president, said.
“Any time the racial issues, social issues, circuit back into the media, it’s super hard on Black mental health,” Perkins said. “A lot of my e-board has also expressed that we’re just frustrated, we’re kind of disappointed in the response that we get from our leaders and our politicians.”
Perkins said BMHC offers a space for Black students to express their grievances and find a support community.
“It really helps to have a sense of community, a sense of shared grief or shared frustration to express, because that’s a part of getting over something is expressing your frustrations, expressing how you feel and then when you have a group of people who identify with you and identify with your problems, it just makes it so much more like, ‘OK, I’m not alone,’” Perkins said.
BCAS holds open virtual meetings every Tuesday at 6 p.m. for students to talk about how they’ve been feeling and share coping strategies and mental health resources, Danielle Cucchiarella, a third-year in marketing and the club’s president, said.
BMHC holds bi-weekly open meetings on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., but Perkins said some students are reluctant to participate in virtual meetings and events.
“It’s super hard because nobody wants to hop on a Zoom again after five hours of class,” Perkins said. “We haven’t done a lot of events because attendance has been low this year, and it’s just very frustrating to try to get people to interact again.”
Despite lower participation than in years past, BMHC continues to hold meetings and events, including discussion-based events covering mental health issues such as PTSD, seasonal depression, generational trauma and procrastination. They also plan to hold outdoor events such as “Popcorn and Podcasts” and a yoga class this semester, Kenya Gray, a fifth-year in city regional planning and the club’s co-president, said.
Gray said he believes social interaction is a vital part of a student’s mental health.
“It’s definitely a necessity to have a connection with someone, whether it’s a relationship, a friendship –– any type of connection with other people is necessary in people’s lives,” Gray said. “So just find a new way to get over the COVID barrier, I’ll call it, it’s definitely crucial to do so.”
BCAS plans to start having in-person “coffee chats” where small groups will meet safely at coffee shops, Cucchiarella said.
The group normally hosts a large in-person event every year called “RUOK? Day.” The event hosts multiple other mental health focused clubs and gives students a way to meet people and connect with resources on campus. Due to the pandemic, this year’s “RUOK? Day” was canceled, but the resources usually displayed at the event will be provided on the club’s website, Cucchiarella said.
“‘RUOK? Day’ is usually the best part of the club, especially the best part of being an officer because you put the majority of your work into planning it,” Cinadr said. “It’s like the most rewarding part because it’s when you get to meet people outside of the club and people always come up and are like, ‘This is a really great event,’ and so many of our members haven’t even had a chance to experience that once.”
Gray said there are a variety of things students can do outside of student organizations to care for their mental health as well. He suggests finding enjoyable hobbies such as creating art, exercising, playing video games or hanging out with friends.
Information on both clubs meetings and events can be found on their Instagrams, @bmhc_osu and @bcasosu.
