By Arika Horner
COVID-19 is one of the worst pandemics in American history. Statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from June 2020 show that the group with the largest percent increase of anxiety or depressive disorders during the pandemic were adults ages 18 to 24. Additionally, statistics from the CDC show 63% of all young people suffer from anxiety and depressive disorders. Western Michigan University student Hannah Morse has found her stress level has increased with the transition from online to in-person classes. In contrast, interviews with other college students indicate they feel refreshed with the return to campus.
WMU student Hannah Morse leaving her Utopian and Dystopian Fiction class at the Lee Honors College of WMU on Sept. 29, 2021. Morse says, “I spent my freshmen year online and felt overly stressed in the first couple of weeks of classes” with the return to in-person classes.
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- WMU student Hannah Morse fiddling with her lanyard while at the Lee Honors College of WMU on Sept. 22, 2021.
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- WMU student Hannah Morse marking her textbook. Morse says, “It’s like a light switch” when describing her stress levels and how they come and go during a school day.
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- WMU student Hannah Morse finds that she has to concentrate and focus on simple tasks such as reading her class text. Morse says, “I am fine one minute but when someone mentions something to do I get stressed.”
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- Morse completing an essay for her next class at the Lee Honors College.
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- Performing Arts Major Caitlin Clark works on assignments at WMU Main Campus on Sept. 26, 2021. Clark says, “I enjoy returning to a campus community.”
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- WMU students Marcos Gomez and Erik Reyes enjoy the in-person connections of a return to campus. Outside Brown Hall on Sept. 27, 2021, Gomez says, “I like interaction with the teachers better in-person.”
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- Michigan State University student Alena Guiterrez at WMU’s Campus on Sept. 26, 2021. Guiterrrez says, “Being in-person separates work life from personal life.”
