The college environment can be very stressful depending on a variety of circumstances. 

I, for one, have a lot on my plate, not only at Rowan but at home, which can be very draining. However, there is a service that I technically should be able to have access to at Rowan as a student. That service is the counseling offered by the Wellness Center.

So one would imagine that I would take advantage of taking some counseling to help me process my emotions and to have a better understanding of myself in situations that may be completely out of my control. 

So, I went to the Wellness Center. The first thing I did was walk straight to the desk without any hesitation and ask if I could apply for counseling. The person I was talking to handed me a sheet that asked for my name, phone number, and banner ID.

The rest of the sheet had checks for whatever I may have going on. There were choices like experiencing depression, thoughts of self-harm, and medication accessibility, among others, on the list, but since I had no prior mental health history, I filled out the options that appeared neutral.

I turned the paper in and walked away to continue the rest of my day. Then I waited, and waited, and waited. 

A whole month has passed since then, and I haven’t heard anything. Spring break was around the corner when I had first visited, but two weeks prior should have been enough time.

However, this made me think about two different things. The first thing was that if I was unsure about my problems, wouldn’t it be productive to have an early intervention for at least a day or two? The second thing was that if I had filled out the more serious choices that were on the paper, would I have been seen by professionals immediately, or are students who are dealing with these more serious problems not being seen either?

My theories have only been amplified by the rising complaints of other students having bad experiences at the Wellness Center recently, and it calls into question whether they or even the university takes students’ mental health seriously. 

Within the last month, we have been met with the coming of what students have coined “Rowan 2,” where even though money will go to new programs, there hasn’t been a push to make student living any easier. 

It doesn’t help when there is news of three students living in a two-person dorm, the constant battles with parking, but now the Rowan Village for retirees is one of the university’s priorities, seemingly, instead of these struggles. 

Students clearly feel like an afterthought, overshadowed by what is evidently a fetishization of Rowan trying to be “the” college of New Jersey, when, in hindsight, it feels like an unnecessary rivalry with Rutgers and other universities. 

If student morale decreases across the board, then it shouldn’t be surprising when a bunch of students feel ignored, exhausted, and apathetic to the college experience.

We all pay money to work towards a better future for ourselves, only for our personal needs that aren’t visible, to continuously face neglect when things get rough.

No matter what Rowan’s priorities are as a university, students should never have their mental health be taken for granted, as prioritizing its upkeep can save lives.