Jessica Oldham ’24 and Katherine Cellini ’24, Staff Writers
The global pandemic has been a hard time of sadness and chaos for the whole world, completely shutting countries down and crashing economies. People have been put on lockdown and have been forced to stay inside for their wellbeing. Though people are forced to be cooped up inside, the world does not stop, especially for college students.
Here at Immaculata University the students and staff have been powering through the pandemic. They have been working just as hard at home, if not harder, as they would be working if there were not a pandemic. Students have been taking classes virtually and that can be very stressful, as having the one on one time and physical interaction with your professors and peers can be very difficult. Not being able to have a social life outside of your home and have time away from school can take a toll on students. For example, students often take classes from their bed now. A bed is associated with sleeping; therefore, students may find it easier to doze off during their online classes. If students doze off and miss assignments their grades may fall, bringing more stress on the students and the professors.
The counseling staff has recognized this and has been working hard to make sure that students are not getting overwhelmed. The counseling office offers online therapy, free counseling, stress management methods, and transitioning to college presentations, videos, quotes, and online classes. They also take emergency calls from students that may be having a hard time in a specific moment. They also reach out to professors for students who are having a little bit of trouble and fill them in on the situation. The counseling office has training programs for student leaders on how to handle emotionally distressed university members.
During a meeting with a counseling member, the counselor helps students write out coping skills or helps them make a coping plan. The counselor will have the student write out schedules, emotions, or traumatic experiences. This will help the student plan out their week and feel less stressed about a busy schedule. Immaculata’s Counseling Center has taken specific procedures to help students cope with the pandemic.
