“During the 2020–2021 school year, more than 60% of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health problem,” says the statistics from the Journal of Affective Disorders’ recent study. With students’ mental health in crisis, community and a supportive environment are becoming more important than ever.  

According to the peer-reviewed journal article, Pre- and Post-Pandemic (COVID-19) Mental Health of International Students: Data from a Longitudinal Study by Samrah Jamshaid et al, the COVID-19 Pandemic has heightened people’s social anxiety and worsened pre-existing mental health issues.

CSU Stanislaus offers a unique way to combat this growing problem through community events, especially in housing. Their most recent event, the Warriors on the Walkway, aimed to highlight resources for students’ well-being and explore the ins and outs of the Housing Center.

A previous Warriors on the Walkway event also gave out freebies from the Student Health Center here at Stan State.

The Warriors on the Walkway event in housing occurs every Monday and Wednesday from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. each week. There, they provide multiple activities for students to participate in, such as entering giveaways or providing students with resources that may benefit them.

Monica Maldonado (Senior, Psychology), who works in housing at Stan State, helped host a previous Warriors on the Walkway event, and claims that going to these events on campus helps students stay engaged. 

Maldonado says that by going to campus events, students become “more knowledgeable of what’s offered to them.”

She also believes that the mental health of students has improved, as coming to these events helps them find the communities that are right for them.

Students looking to move into housing have a chance to familiarize themselves with the communities before choosing which one is right for them. This helps strengthen their well-being by giving them power over their environment.

In addition to living communities having an impact on students, Maldonado also explains that mental health is affected by surrounding “yourself with things that make you happy.” 

Dezi Ortega (Sophomore, Business) states that going to events like these allows students to stay engaged as it helps them meet people. Through socialization, Ortega believes that the mental health of students improves as they participate in community events at Stan State. 

Alex Pineda (Sophomore, Computer Science) believes this as well, and says that student participation in community events helps with students’ mental health.

“It helps to stay social,” Pineda says.