UF does its best with providing the services students need across a variety of issues. The Career Connections Center gives students a head start in preparing to enter the workforce. GatorWell helps spread awareness of student health to make sure students know what resources they may have. But the service that is vital for students in a world of growing anxiety, the UF Counseling and Wellness Center, isn’t keeping up with its monumental task: the maintenance of the mental health of UF’s students.
In August 2017, UF approved 12 new full-time mental health counselors, making a one-1,253 ratio of counselors to students, which is recommended by the International Association of Counseling Services, Inc. However, not every student goes to the center, which is good because it would otherwise be impossible for such a small staff to see everyone at UF. There are still some issues that can be attributed to an overloaded staff, however, like waitlists and a limited number of free visits.
Students have had difficulties with scheduling appointments. In some cases, there is a waitlist for students to even have an appointment to assess what the best next step would be for them. The staff numbers still don’t reach a recommended level of 1 staff member to 1,000 students, and this isn’t just a UF issue. Eight out of 12 Florida universities don’t meet that ratio either.
But in a world where trying to build up that institutional care is difficult and there are several hoops to get through, how can we, as a student body, work together to make sure every Gator feels taken care of?
Student-led support groups can be one of many ways to provide access to students. Having students of similar backgrounds can be a huge boost to helping not only students who may be facing emotional distress or mental health issues, but also to addressing the lack of people of color in supportive roles and spaces like mental health care. The specific experiences and cultural values that make up people’s lives can play a role in the way they go through life. Having other people who are working off the same foundations in life can be a benefit. People are generally more willing to open up if they know they won’t be misunderstood while explaining why they feel a certain way.
Outside of formal groups, informal friend groups can be a way to make sure you’re keeping up with your journey and making sure you aren’t falling into negative habits. Organizing group activities or dedicating a day to have friends help each other out with errands not only makes those who can feel isolated less alone, but also helps make people more accountable.
My informal group has provided great breaks from mental blocks that kept me in a bad mood. I live in a dorm, and my neighbors on both sides are constantly getting together to watch movies, catch up on shows, and even work out. The hallway has become a communal living space, where we can bounce around rooms, talking and catching up while studying together or heading out for a few grueling hours at the gym. I can safely say I am in a better mood thanks to the people I live around. For me, it’s proof everyone can be a part of something that makes them feel welcome and included.
Daniel Gamboa is a UF journalism sophomore. His column appears on Fridays.
