Since arriving at RIT in August, most people I’ve met have taken a “mental health day” of some type. These have ranged from missing class to focus on restorative sleep to being unable to leave bed due to depression. No matter the severity of the situation, mental health is something on the collective radar of college students.
According to a 2024 survey conducted by U.S. News, 70 percent of college students reported mental health struggles; however, only 37 percent of students reported seeking help.
Understanding why this gap arises is challenging, but mental health resources for students exist at most college campuses, including RIT.
Counseling and Psychological Services
RIT’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the August Center. Services are available for all full-time students, yet many are so reluctant to seek CaPS resources.
While certain mental illness stigmas and privacy concerns may be contributing factors in students avoiding resources, many students cite financial concerns and a lack of time as reasons for avoiding CaPS.
Hayden Kramer, a first year Illustration major, pointed to both factors, particularly expressing concern about the financial burden of receiving mental health support.
“I’m hesitant because (…) sure, there’s insurance and stuff, but is that going to cover it all?” Kramer said.
Fourth year Interior Design student Olivia Swanson shared similar sentiments, expressing a desire for the university to offer more transparency about CaPS expenses.
“To get people to go with RIT services, I think being transparent about the cost, the process, what exactly it takes to do those things would make people less afraid to go there,” Swanson stated.
The CaPS website states that mental health services are covered by the student health fee, which is billed to all students enrolled in at least nine credits. However, the link to this information is embedded in a drop-down menu, which students may not bother to look for if they are already convinced they cannot afford services.
Although information about CaPS is readily available online, those who most need mental health services may be too burnt out or exhausted to seek out information beyond their immediate assignments. Furthermore, students with depression or ADHD may experience executive dysfunction, making it difficult to initiate tasks. As such, preconceptions about the CaPS process go unchallenged for many students.
Even students who are ready to reach out for mental health support may have problems consulting the CaPS website. Karis Sung, a first-year Illustration major who recently attended her first counseling session, reflected on the process needed to schedule a meeting.
“The amount of websites you need to jump through [to schedule your first meeting] is a little confusing,” Sung noted.
Sung conveyed that after initially scheduling the meeting, things went smoothly. During the first session, she met with a counselor who explained that the services are covered by the student health fee and went over therapy options for the future, including group therapy. Although Sung said that she found this initial meeting helpful, she noted that she is still waiting for a follow-up. “I was told that I would get an email the next day. It’s been a week.”
Late responses can be discouraging, particularly for individuals enduring mental health struggles. One respondent to a Reporter mental health survey commented with respect to scheduled counseling, “It seems to be difficult to get appointments for when I’m really in a time of need. After my first appointment, the next available appointment with that particular counselor was three weeks later.”
Long wait times could push students away from seeking professional help, even if they previously felt ready. A combination of difficulty scheduling appointments and not feeling like a priority may cause some students to give up on scheduling appointments altogether.
RIT Environment
Aside from psychological services, some students believe that RIT can improve student well-being by providing more opportunities for socialization and improving the quality of student housing.
Sung expressed that RIT can be isolating, longing for more opportunities to meet other Asian students.
Swanson also attributed her mental health struggles to her living space.
“When we first moved in [to Riverknoll]…it wasn’t in livable condition,” she stated. Conditions only worsened after the winter break. “When I came back, they had redone the bathroom…there was sawdust everywhere. There were grease marks on the toilet, and the door wasn’t even on the hinges; it was leaning against the wall.”
With the stress of being a full-time student, Swanson needed a space to unwind, but her apartment at Riverknoll only added more stress. Ultimately, striving to improve student life holistically can prevent — or at least alleviate — mental health struggles before students feel that they need professional support. RIT is no stranger to mental health crises, making emphasis on student wellbeing crucial, not only in our health services, but everywhere on campus.
