By snoadmin
At some point, everyone gets a little lonely in college. Some students have to leave behind the hometowns, family and friends they’ve known throughout their entire lives. In this case, adjustments have to be made.
The adjustment to college courses, living on one’s own and meeting new people can take a bigger toll on some students. This is why it is always important to look out for one another and know we are not alone.
We are all human. We share many of the same emotions, and we all must learn to live on our own at some point.
In coming to college, the change can be so abrupt that we are too blind to understand that others are going through the same experience. It is tough for us to step back and look at what we’re going through, and then to see that others are facing the same situation. That’s when the help of a friend, neighbor or even an acquaintance is needed to help get us back on the right track.
Of course, it is easier said than done to tell someone they need help; however, whether you’re a friend or even a stranger, your intervention can help save someone’s life. It is an act of kindness that all of us should be ready to make because, at the same time, we would want someone to do the same if we were struggling.
Beyond that, Cal State Long Beach has many accessible places where students who are struggling can find help.
Project OCEAN (On Campus Emergency Assistance Network) is a program that promotes mental health awareness and suicide prevention. It works to help students in need by teaching students the skills necessary to keep them from feeling hopeless, thereby reducing the stigma of mental illness on campus and encouraging students to get help when they need it.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is another campus entity that helps students work through their personal challenges while still succeeding in school. It helps students identify the goals they need to help them graduate. Other services include short-term counseling for individuals, group counseling, career development counseling, referral services, psychoeducational workshops and crisis intervention.
It is impossible for anyone to step into another person’s shoes and feel what that person is feeling. We all need to treat each other the way we like to be treated and make it a goal for each and everyone of us to help another.
None of us are alone on this campus.
Starting a conversation or even just sharing a smile with someone can go a long way if it is from the heart.
