Let’s face it, college is tough. We have work that needs to get done for multiple classes and time seems to be flying by. Athletes are expected to go to practice, compete, and then have time to get all their work done. Does this sound like you? Is it overwhelming? If this is you, well you’re not alone, none of us are, but we think we are.

In the United States, there are many different college students and a wide variety of colleges to go to. College is supposed to prepare you for the “real world” and further your academic career. However, many college students in the United States are battling with mental health issues like anxiety and depression, leading to an increase in suicide rates.

Mental health is important in everyday life and many students are going to college feeling incomplete and lost while they are in school. Many colleges offer free confidential therapy for students who are struggling with anxiety and depression. If this is true, then why are there so many students struggling with mental health if we have access to help? There are many reasons, for example; social media, grades, being away from home, fear of the future, and many more reasons.

Many students who have anxiety issues in college do not think about seeing a therapist at the school or a doctor about their mental health. But what if it was mandatory that we as students see a doctor or a therapist about our mental health to checkup on our feelings and how our lives are going? Think about it, athletes have to get physicals by a doctor to make sure their bodies are healthy in order to do the sport. When something isn’t right with an athlete’s body, they see an athletic trainer. Likewise, if students want to drop a class or change a major, they are required to see their advisor. It is the same concept with mental health. We need healthy minds in order to live a healthy life while being in college. Colleges should have mandatory mental health checkups for every student once a semester in order to help with mental health issues. When we are feeling depressed or are having a panic attack, we should talk to someone who is a professional in mental health. “Mental health is just as important as physical health, and there should not be stigma about getting mental health checkups. When people are talking to a therapist, they are able to get the support they need,” said Piedmont College student, Nicole Thomas, who writes a mental health column for The Roar.

We as students need to rise above anxiety and depression. When we are feeling depressed or having anxious thoughts we need to do something about it by getting our minds right. Colleges need to have mandatory mental health checkups for every student once a semester at every school and need to grow mental health therapy program for students.