Mental Health
By Noelle Belliot ('24) and Ruth Marc ('24)
Knowing how to keep your mental health stable should be something we should all try to learn as developing the skill to handle one’s inner emotions and mindset, especially during the pandemic. We decided to interview a few classmates about what they thought about how Covid-19 affected their mental health. What we have written below are the answers to the questions we asked our classmates Ashley Ely (24’), Gianna Benoit ( 24’), Gabrielle Ceconi (22’), and Melanie Diaz (23’). We hope that their responses encourage you to think about ways that you can improve your mindset and mental health on a daily basis.
How has Covid-19 affected your mental health?
Ashley Ely (‘24)
“Personally, no one in my family has died from COVID or been severely affected by it. COVID-19 is certainly awful and I feel as though I have been most affected by the repercussions of it. COVID has given more anxiety and stress, mostly due to the changes in schools, public areas and important people in my life. I have gotten more annoyed and angered. Due to my personal experiences, I have been getting to see people’s true colors, beliefs and who they choose to argue with. It has made me more self aware about everything going on in the world.”
Giana Benoit (‘24)
“I don’t know much about mental health...but I can say that I'm more tired and I feel like a sloth. Everything stayed the same around and I feel like nothing has really changed, it’s like I did the same things every day in a constant cycle. Nothing changed, this schedule never changed no matter what I did. Constantly staying at home allowed me to develop more time taking habits. This also increased the level of stress I had to deal with, constantly thinking about when everything will go back to normal, and how it would go back .”
Gabrielle Ceconi (‘22)
“Covid-19 has definitely caused my mental health to degrade due to the lack of socialization.Staring at screens all day gives me a headache and I really miss even the simplest things like hearing my friends laughter. Dealing with being a junior preparing for college while the world is ablaze is only little stressful (Sarcasm)”
Melanie Diaz (23’)
“Since the pandemic has started, I have found myself becoming more anxious as time goes on. My mood does tend to lower here and there, and being in the house certainly has greatly affected me and my well-being. It has made me more tired and made me miss the way things were in the past. Having my friends has definitely helped me, but sometimes it still is a struggle.”
What are some positive and negative ways Covid-19 has interfered with your mental health?
Ashley Ely (‘24)
“I have felt enlightened to learn about new talents. I have become more grounded and down to earth. It has made me more aware of the privilege that we had before in life. It made me question myself as a human being in a positive way.
It has made me more depressed, given me a feeling of hopelessness and a repeating cycle of never-ending days. Due to being an honors student, it has given me more internal stress due to academics and lack of access to the school and access to teachers.”
Giana Benoit (‘24)
“COVID-19 helped me figure out who my real friends were, and it opened my eyes to others' true intentions. It allowed me to take a closer look at my surroundings, and see the personality traits of my family members too. Furthermore, it has not only opened my eyes to my family members, but myself as a person. I realized who I really am, and other ways I can change my bad habits for the better. However, Covid-19 increased the amount of stress, anxiety, and laziness I was already dealing with and has amplified them greatly.”
Gabrielle Ceconi (‘22)
“In the spring, being in quarantine definitely allowed myself to have more free time to relax and take a break from work. It was nice to be able to do things when I wanted and be able to relax and do what I want to do. However, despite this, being around family all the time has left me exhausted and irritated. Constantly having to hear about deaths and the political world really leaves happy thoughts to the imagination. And even if we are so connected through social media and technology, I still feel so alone. Not having that physical connection does impact us as humans.”
Melanie Diaz (‘23)
“Covid-19 has made me feel more sad. With the effects of staying inside and needing to quarantine, it hasn’t exactly been the best experience. Although, going on walks and getting some time outside has certainly helped with my mental state. Getting a chance to leave my home and getting into the outside world really brightens my mood.”
What have you done to better your mental health?
Ashley Ely (‘24)
“Talking to friends and loved ones, watching ticks and TV and doing art and listening to music has certainly bettered my mental health. Through all of these tough and unstable times, self care and time with loved ones has certainly healed my internal thoughts and feelings.”
Giana Benoit (‘24)
“I personally think that having my family around helped me maintain a stable mental health. I was able to talk to them and play games with them, which helped me have some type of human interaction. On top of that, I was able to read and watch K-Dramas. Oh and eating, because eating made me feel at ease.”
Gabrielle Ceconi (‘22)
“I have taken up walking as a pastime, which really helps me calm down and relax. I love to do it and just space out and forget about what's going on for a while. I get to view the quietness and serenity of nature, I'm alone, the air smells good, and it's just me, my music, and the world.”
Melanie Diaz (‘23)
“I find that when possible, going out to see and spend time with friends really brightens up my mood. Getting out sometimes to go places can help better my mood. Having the possibility to leave my home and be in the outside world certainly has a good impact on my mood and mental well-being.”