AUBG DAILY FALL 2021 OWL THE NEWS Vol. 3, Issue 1 Mental Health at AUBG By Ilina Stoyanova Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic many people have started experiencing mental health issues. It seems that we cannot catch a break. The Fall 2021 semester at AUBG was supposed to be the beginning of the return to normalcy. And in a sense it was. Lectures could be attended onground and students clubs could hold their events in-person, albeit with the requirement of a green certificate. Students should have felt the spirit of AUBG once again, but this was not the case. For many, this has been the toughest semester they have ever had to endure. Still, some of the mental health concerns among students date back even before the pandemic started. Sabina Wien, the Dean of Students, said that AUBG can always do better in its promotion of mental health. She believes that students should voice their concerns if they are not happy with something - if they do not speak up it will lead to more mental health issues. While some students have acknowledged the efforts of the Psychology club in relation to raising awareness about mental health, they think that the university as an institution is not doing enough. Here is what some of them had to say (responses are kept anonymous per students’ wishes). “I honestly found out that there is a psychologist this semester. There is a wide room for improvement. I do not feel as if AUBG is truly supporting my positive mental state.” Another student added “I don’t think the university is doing anything to promote mental health. I’ve never seen a campaign, or informational posters or any piece of information about how students can deal with mental health.” Rayna Tuzlukova-Vetsova is the only psychologist of the university, which is not enough for an institution the size of AUBG. Before the pandemic, there were peer counselors who helped out. Both Dean Wien and Prof. Harvey, Assistant Professor of Psychology at AUBG, mentioned them, noting that they were trained to talk to undergraduates. Some students are not sure whether the psychologist can help them if they are in need of professional help. “I know that there is a psychologist, who I believe is a good person but I honestly do not know how helpful she is. I had professional encounters with her but they have not given me the confidence that she can handle me if I go there with my struggles.” The psychologist herself, Tuzlukova-Vetsova, declined to be interviewed. Dean Wien feels that in many cases students do not know that they need to talk to a counselor. She noted that many have started crying while talking to her. She believes that crying is helpful. “It is ok to be crying, it is ok to say I need help. In some countries, people show off that they have a personal counselor,” she said. Both Dean Wien and Prof. Harvey have noticed a change in the behavior of students. Dean Wien believes that everyone has changed as this is a stressful situation, from which there is no escape. Prof. Harvey agreed and added that it is also the end of the semester and the beginning of winter. He noted that he is more worried than he usually is as these are unprecedented times. “At this point of the semester students are always stressed out and there are some who you can tell are doing ok, get their assignments in on time. Then there are others who have not turned in assignments. Those are the ones I worry about. And I do see more of that this semester,” he said. “Students seem to be much more tired, much less motivated, especially at this time of the year than they have been in the past. You know, they just seem weird, but I also see them working hard to keep up their energy levels,” he added. This semester has been really tough. This is felt not only by the students, but also by the administration and faculty. Everyone is getting tired of the pandemic as it has affected
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