Opinion | Where the Bethel culture falls short: Valuing mental health over good grades

Editorial: As featured in volume 111, issue 3 of The Collegian.

Every semester, it’s inevitable that sickness spreads around campus, especially as the seasons change. Be it the flu, COVID, or arguably the worst: the common cold, mental health can affect us just as much as these, if not more. Obviously, mental health is not contagious in the way that physical illnesses are, but emotions and symptoms can certainly affect those around you.

When someone is struggling with poor mental health, especially stress, it can easily disrupt their body’s normal state of attention, memory, sleep, thinking skills, the way they deal with emotions, as well as the normal function of the heart, immune system, metabolism, and hormones. I believe this can lead to poor communication, negative interactions with others, and the way we’re able to think and focus.

I’ve noticed this around campus lately. People are in high stress as well as dealing with their own personal life, which has led to many of the consequences I previously listed. I believe that Bethel’s student body as a whole is experiencing a domino effect of this, and dare I say, a mental health crisis

Emily Brandt — Photo courtesy of Emily Brandt

Mental and physical health can affect our bodies in similar ways, therefore mental health should be taken just as seriously as, if not more than, physical health.

When you’re sick with a physical illness, you’re often excused from class without much question or explanation. And depending on the professor, they might provide you with all content missed and maybe even grant an extension on assignments.

Although many professors currently offer accommodations like these for students who express mental health struggles, I think it could be more.

Professors, coaches, and advisors should be understanding of mental health accommodations, especially if a student feels comfortable enough to share that kind of information. Extensions and occasional absences should be more common and not be shamed when they’re necessary. Alternative accommodations for certain assignments or projects would also be very helpful to certain students, such as a pre-recorded presentation instead of an in person if that extreme anxiety.

Maybe I’m simply more aware of it this year, but it seems like mental health has been worse this semester than the last two years. And change needs to happen on every level at Bethel. The process for mental health accommodations should be more readily accessible and encouraged.