There are several concerns that arise while preparing to live with a roommate in college:
What if they get on my nerves? What if I get on their nerves? Who will bring a coffeemaker? Do I even want to share my coffeemaker?
It is common for college students to be anxious about how the person they are going to live with could positively or negatively affect their lives.
It is less common, however, for college students to be concerned about the state of their roommates’ mental health. Amid making new friends, dealing with difficult professors and the overall chaos that is college, who has time to make sure their roommate is going to class?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression is the most common health issue faced by college students. The likelihood that one of your friends, romantic interests or roommates is suffering from depression is remarkably high.
“Research shows that nearly 1 in 5 university students are affected with anxiety or depression,” as stated by theconversation.com.
So why does our roommates’ mental health not top our list of concerns?
By agreeing to live with another person, one is accepting the responsibility of paying attention.
The dangerous difference between a high school student and a college student experiencing depression is that the college student is alone.
“Many students also deal with loneliness – in fact over 62 percent of college students in a 2017 survey by the American College Health Association (ACHA) said they felt ‘very lonely’ within the last 12 months. It’s also normal to feel a sense of loss and mourn childhood. Even though many students go home for holidays and summer break, it takes a while to reconcile the fact that you’re now an adult,” says affordablecollegesonline.org.
A high school student struggling with depression is more likely to have a support system. They can rely on their parents, siblings and school faculty to recognize their symptoms. People will notice if something is amiss.
A college student does not have this degree of visibility. Their battle can go unnoticed for a very long time. Their bedroom may grow messier, their homework unattended, and their laundry unwashed without a single person realizing theses changes in behavior. The most attentive family members can only notice so much via Facetime.
Therefore, it is your responsibility, as a roommate, to pay attention to yours. You may unknowingly be the only person who has the opportunity to recognize that they need help.