On Friday, March 14, Riverside Brookfield High School Student Services hosted a discussion for juniors and seniors that touched on the topic of mental health throughout the college process. The topics covered were about the transition from home to college, self-care/coping skills, social life, and communicating with parents when feeling homesick. During the transition from high school to attending a new school by yourself in college, it can make students feel lost due to not being around people they are familiar with, like parents and friends. Getting advice to get prepared for the transition could benefit a student that is nervous about taking on this journey.
With the drastic transition to college, some students’ mental health can be difficult to manage, especially while being away from friends and family. As you move on to the next chapter of your life, prioritizing mental health and self-care is essential to this journey to help maintain a healthy balance. RB has been trying to help out students with their mental health and to prepare them for their upcoming college years. They have put out more resources for students that want to get advice during this time. RB also has social workers that can help students.
“If we bring it up often enough, folks will be notified ahead of time and hopefully there will be willingness to go on their own time and visit what’s going on,” said school counselor Lisa Guzmán.
RB is also looking to reach out to other organizations that could help students out with their mental health like The Loft at Eight Corners, a mental health resource center in Brookfield for youth and their families. These collaborations can help students gain more insight and easier access to the resources that they need. Resources like these can also help students with their health by providing them with a safe and comfortable environment for them to talk about their needs.
“If we are able to bring avenues and events that are available then hopefully it allows students to come forward and talk about things and address their needs,” Guzmán said.
RB wants to push out more resources within the school to help students achieve success and overcome hardships, like mental health issues or even just struggles in their daily lives. Even students that are facing hard times have someone for them within the school—whether it is a teacher or social worker—that cares and supports students. Students can also ask teachers about a specific college that they attended for advice and what to expect. RB highly encourages students, but doesn’t force them, to take part in activities regarding mental health, like the college mental health discussion to know what they might need to prepare for.
“I think that with mental health issues, sometimes people are unwilling or unable to talk about it on a regular basis,” Guzmán said.
