Hi everyone! My name is Bri, I am an undergraduate student at North Carolina State University and wanted to welcome you back to my blog series: College Students on Mental Health. Today I interviewed Keshon Payton, a senior at North Carolina State University who majors in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and a minor in Sociology. 

When talking about his perspective on mental health since starting college, Keshon says that higher education has increased his awareness of mental health and how much of an epidemic it is. A lot of mental health struggles go unnoticed or untreated in higher education as there can be a lack of community surrounding these struggles and talking about them can be “taboo.” Keshon emphasizes the importance of a strong support system while also having the ability to balance your own boundaries, saying, “I’ve grown to be more of a support system to any and all of my connections I have made in college because it takes a village to get through these 4+ years at these competitive institutions. At the same time, I try to value my own as much as possible and set boundaries for myself to stick to and provide myself with a sense of peace.” 

There are many times in college when mental health is put at the forefront of your life. It is important to reflect on these moments to really understand your perspective on mental health and how it has changed through the beginning of your adult life. When it comes to Keshon, he said he has had two specific moments in which mental health had to be prioritized. One moment made him realize that the trials and tribulations in relationships are normal and necessary to build a healthy community. You want to be someone who can lend an ear while also being able to reach out to others if needed. Keshon emphasizes another important mental health moment, saying

“Another was when a fraternity brother of mine committed suicide. It opened my eyes to the fact that no matter what it appears to be on the outside. Many people struggle with what is going on on the inside, and in order to be yourself and do all that you do, your mental, physical, and emotional health need to be in necessary alignment.” 

When it comes to mental health resources on campus, Keshon believes that universities are trying their best, but it can be hard to find the perfect “fit” for everyone when it comes to these resources. “I think the battle is finding what can fit everyone's level of mental health and that can be a challenge because mental health is not a one size fits all deal. Everyone is their own individual with different backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and truths,” Keshon says. He believes that while there is always room for improvement with anything, the universities are trying their hardest, and most resources will not fit everyone’s needs. When it comes to implementing better resources for student health, Keshon emphasizes continuing to analyze the resources that are most needed based on student body reviews and working to revise these as needed. “Another [way] is to look at how other universities are addressing the problem to get somewhat of a baseline or benchmark of what works and what doesn’t to make it a healthier campus.” Overall, there are always going to be ideas of what needs to be implemented in order to have a healthier college campus when it comes to mental health and associated resources. Elevating the voices of students who have different majors, backgrounds, and experiences can help push higher education in a healthier direction. Change does not happen overnight, but we can start the change we want to see in our universities now. 

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