As the UW-River Falls chapter of Active Minds focuses on mental health on college campuses, it returns to campus after a difficult semester for students. The president of the reinstated chapter, Brandi Weidland, feels tension in the air as they try to rebuild after a tough semester that included the loss of four fellow students to suicide.
Weidland described the impact of the recent tragedies on campus, including the university sending students on Thanksgiving break early last semester. She emphasized the importance of providing students with a safe space to talk about their mental health in the wake of these events. The university has implemented Mental Health Mondays to promote resources like Active Minds and recently added an additional counselor for student accessibility.
Despite not knowing the students personally, Weidland shared how deeply the losses affected her, leading to feelings of survivor’s guilt. She remains hopeful that with time and continued efforts by the university, the mental health and well-being of students on campus will improve. As Weidland prepares to graduate, she hopes that the university will continue to address the needs of students in distress.
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