by Anudari Baatarkhuu
The time spent in university is one of the best times in a person’s life. When being a student, you need to try many things, meet your first or timeless love, create unforgettable memories with your friends. However there is someone who spent those years that were not like that. Somepeople don’t have many friends at school and they are mostly alone. Is it because of their introversion? I know someone who does not have many friends in school and she does not talk with people on campus. When she was a high school student, she had many friends and was an extrovert person. However, she became introverted and was treated in the hospital for depression, when she became a university student. I think a lot of things played into that. Now she thinks she has managed to turn this situation to her advantage. She learnt to be alone, without feeling alone. As I mentioned before, the girl does not talk to many people at school, so she does not spend a lot of time there. During her stay, she observes people a lot. I do not know what students were like in the past, and I do not know how all students spend their lives, but maybe it has something to do with the people around me, or our generation. Another big possible reason is the pandemic. We were students under quarantine during the pandemic. When I look at them from the outside, they look very tired, sad and bored. I think it is directly related to mentally.
Research shows that 60% of students in 2021 will experience one or more mental health issues. For this reason, I took a small survey from my neighborhood students. As it is a psychological question, I could not draw enough conclusions. But the survey responses were exactly what I expected. I asked them a few questions about how people can tell if they are depressed or at risk. A large number of people were not able to be interviewed, but many of them sent answers such as being uncomfortable in the school environment, feeling tired, unable to concentrate, and having problems with sleeping and eating.
In recent years, people have paid great attention to the importance of mental health in addition to physical health. Students are the trained personnel of the state. Their health, especially their mental health, is a very important issue. Ignoring this can have many dire consequences. At the very beginning, of course, it will have a negative effect on their education. As a result, there may be consequences such as the creation of uneducated, unworkable, and unmotivated personnel.
Is there any solution or way to improve this issue? Yes, there is. MIU /Mongolian International University/ has a Counseling Center. I do not think many people know this. MCC /MIU Counseling Center/ is open for everyone who studies and works at MIU. It does not matter if you are a teacher, student, or staff, they will help you. If you feel uncomfortable, you should go there. Very friendly and reliable counselors Jennifer, Ricardo, Chai Cheong and volunteers will welcome you warmly. They will talk about any issues like relationships, studies, dorm problems, and any other common issues with you. Also you do not have to talk about your problems, you can just go there when you feel uncomfortable. They will treat you to tea and coffee and you can just sit and look at their beautiful plants. I love the Counseling Center room, there are a lot of pretty plants.
Before you go there, you have to make an appointment on their Facebook page named MIU Counseling Center. It will be more reliable. When I first found out about them, I was worried about my English skills and could not go. Because it is very difficult to explain your mentally state to someone else in a second language. If you think the same as me and can not go, they will find an interpreter for you. And you do not have to worry about your privacy, they will keep your privacy very well. Do not be weak and shy to do the move for yourself. I’m sure they will help at least a little bit to solve your temporary delay and emotional problems. Don’t think that you are going through all the hard times alone, there are many people like you.