KINGSVILLE, Texas — Finals are underway for students here at Texas A&M-Kingsville. KRIS 6 NEWS asked some of them to rate their mental health from 1 to 10 as May marks Mental Health Awareness Month.
“I would rate it a solid 7.5,” Karla Clemens, a senior student, said.
“I say it's like around an 8,” Melanie Villanueva, a junior student, said.
“I'd say it's about a 6,” Ben Reyes, a freshman student, said.
“I'd say an 8,” Zoe Garza, a freshman student, said.
“A solid 7 out of 10,” Andrew Rosas, a master's student, said.
For many students, this is a stressful time.
Clemens said her voice performance major comes with a lot of schoolwork. It can be a lot for freshmen and sophomores.
“This is their first couple of years in college, as somebody who's already a senior like I'm already used to the workload and everything's fine,” Clemens said. “But for those two years specifically, it can be very stressful for them.”
For other students, they have more than just school to worry about.
Reyes wrecked their car a few months ago and is now trying to sell their art to make money for a new one.
“So that's my biggest worry is like making sure that I secure my funding for next semester, get good enough grades to get my grants,” Reyes said.
Reyes said the resources at the university helped them get through this tough time.
“From hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., we have walk-in counselors or drop-in counseling,” Corey Sean Martin, professional counselor at TAMUK’s Student Health and Wellness center, said. “Any student on campus can, as long as they're registered here, can walk in and see the counselor on duty like myself.”
Martin said students can enjoy the relaxing room they offer on campus to get a 5-minute breather or use the TELUS app for after-hours crisis intervention.
“If you need extra sleep, take it; if you need to eat, make the time for it because you need to nurture your body to do all of these assignments you need to do,” Clemens said. “And if you're not well yourself, you're not gonna be able to do those assignments, so take care of yourself first and then deal with the world later.”
If you are a TAMUK student needing help, you can call 361-593-5080 for counseling services.
If you are in another school, the best number to call is 988 for any mental health emergencies.
