The DePaulia
Kalia Butler, Contributing Writer|April 25, 2021
Before students even graduate high school, we are told how exhausting college will be. We are told about the rigorous workload, long hours, lack of sleep, extracurriculars and the inevitable burnout we will face. But this tired college student trope can affect students mentally, emotionally and physically.
College students are worn out and it’s not their fault. What does one expect when there are a never-ending plethora of assignments coming at us week after week? In the middle of a pandemic, the outside world is closed off, leaving us to stare at a little screen in our hands to find any source of enjoyment.
The DePaulia
For many adults, the pandemic threw a wrench into their workdays and kickstarted a nationwide social justice movement that captured the attention of the world during the summer.
For young kids and teens, the coronavirus swept in and disrupted the ability to go to school and see friends on a daily basis, a large part of what a kid’s life revolves around.
For those in college, these two realities converged and presented a particularly difficult situation for the millions of students across the country.
Minding the gap between the challenges that come with pandemic schooling and the very real political, social and civil upheaval taking place in almost every other facet of American life is an immense burden. All of these factors combined in the past year created a uniquely toxic mental health landscape for young adults to traverse, many for the first time.