Editor’s note: This story contains reporting about suicides, a topic that will be disturbing to some readers. Mental health resources are available at the bottom of the story.
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RALEIGH, N.C. -- After a stressful day of classes, exams and homework, N.C. State freshman Savannah Oliver treks across the red cobblestones of campus to unwind. Since early in the morning, she had been scrolling through Instagram, searching for where her newest friend would be hanging out that afternoon.
She sends a text to her other friends and the group walks over to Wolf Plaza to catch up with their new short-haired buddy: Delilah the therapy dog.
After a fifth N.C. State student died by suicide earlier this month, students taking advantage of a mix of mental health resources has become more common on campus, Oliver said.
As experts and administrators attempt to address the ongoing mental health crisis, students are doing what they can to look after themselves and fellow Wolfpack community members.
The need to feel connected
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collected in 2021, 37% of high school students reported experiencing poor mental health during the pandemic, and 44% reported they persistently felt sad or hopeless during the previous year.
Chancellor Randy Woodson acknowledged a “mental health crisis” in a statement to students as early as Oct. 10.
One of the most common struggles students face is finding a sense of belonging, said Lisa Zapata, senior associate vice chancellor of academic and student affairs. Her concerns are consistent with research that shows that a lower sense of belonging is strongly associated with depression and thoughts about suicide.
Looking after themselves and others comes in many different forms for N.C. State students.
Even as more emails about student deaths reach her inbox, Oliver said she gets peace of mind from the Counseling Center’s referral program, an anonymous reporting system for concerns about another student’s mental health
“You put in a note for someone to say ‘this person isn’t doing well. I don’t know if they’re going to hurt themselves,’” Eriksen said.
After this note is received by the Counseling Center, campus security will conduct a wellness check on the student and refer them to additional mental health services if needed.
“You can get a weight off of your chest, that burden of knowing someone isn’t doing well is lifted. You know someone is going to check on them,” Oliver said.
This year, student government has also stepped up to bolster mental health on campus. In the fall, the student government launched the Mental Health Intervention Department, a group devoted to enhancing student mental health resources.
The group’s weekly meetings allow students to speak freely about their struggles and develop policies that the university could potentially adopt.
On a recent Monday, the group held a closed-to-the-media meeting where students were encouraged to frankly discuss their emotions related to news ofthe latest student suicide.
All campus connections count
In addition to the N.C. State student suicides, three other students died this school year, one in a car accident and two from natural causes, campus officials say.
Chris D’Arco, Delilah’s owner, is a N.C. State alum. He felt the need to bring the therapy dog to campus more often as the number of student deaths increased, he said.
As he and Delilah greet students on their way to class, D’Arco said he has noticed a change in the mood across the downtown Raleigh campus.
“Every student is aware of it, some more than others. You can tell in their demeanor,” D’Arco said.
During this tough time, students are quick to list informal connections they value, whether that be grabbing friends to go see Delilah or more organized student programming.
Sophomore criminology major Sarah Savage commutes to campus from Holly Springs, which can make finding friends and community on campus difficult. Joining student groups has helped her find belonging at N.C. State.
“I’ve joined a couple clubs and I’m also in the improv club which is really cool,” Savage said.
Freshman Luke Eriksen, who grew up in Ohio, said rushing a fraternity was instrumental to developing community.
“Being from out of state is different because I did not know a single person coming in, and I enjoyed that challenge. But rushing definitely helped a lot. All my pledge class are my best friends,” he said.
Savage, Oliver and Eriksen said they are also doing their best to check in on friends and speak up when a peer is struggling with their mental health.
“We have a lot of resources,” Oliver said. “It’s just a hard situation right now.”
Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Resources
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with someone, dial 988.
Crisis Text Line is a texting service for emotional crisis support. To speak with a trained listener, text HOME to 741741. This free, confidential service is available 24/7.
