College is often depicted as the epitome of knowledge and freedom. A fantasy world that young adults can make all of their dreams come true. Their best years imaginable–making friends, entering various clubs and social cliques, and gaining opportunities to pursue internships that will open the doors of experience for them in their academic fields of interest.
But often, there is an underlying truth–a dark side to college that many are hesitant to discuss. Suicide among college youth has been rising exponentially since the start of the pandemic in 2020, according to the article, “Indian Express: Student suicides in India at a five-year high, most from Maharashtra: NCRB data,” written by Tushar Verma. 12,526 people died by suicide, with the number increasing to 13,089 for college students all over the world in 2021. An 8% incline in such a short amount of time!
The reasoning behind college suicides is unknown, however, the article goes on to surmise failures on exams due to the expectations of parents to hold high honor and social status within their grades, amongst the rates of piling work which is often presented on students.
“It’s unlike anything I’d imagined,” UHART student Daniel Roy told me over the phone.
He continued: “I feel as if I can never catch up–on top of daily homework assignments, projects layered with multiple steps, commitments I have working for my school newspaper and literacy journal. I have minimal time to manage my mental health. I feel as if I have to put on this face in front of my parents like all is well, keep my promises that I will hold the highest grades possible to keep my scholarship…I feel like the pile-up of schoolwork makes it impossible.”
Work stress aside, some students feel isolated at their colleges. People with social anxiety, low-functioning depression, or people who are just

socially awkward have a hard time managing college social life. Therefore, they’re confined within this mental prison of self-isolation. They have no real sense of belonging. This in turn ruins the college experience for these students.
Depression however isn’t the only outcome of the grievances that college students face. In their erratic mental state, some students commit grave atrocities. This passing month, Varun Manish Chheda, a Purdue University student was stabbed to death by his roommate Ji Min Sha. When questioned on his reasonings, Ji claimed that he was blackmailed into doing it. As if it was some juvenile prank that he was peer pressured into. This incident made the students of Purdue feel unsafe. In fact, many students were concerned that they weren’t alerted of this incident until hours later. The police claimed that the students weren’t alerted right away due to how fast Ji was apprehended.
Mental exhaustion is not the only thing to come out of the mental health crisis that colleges seem to be facing. College is supposed to be a safe space, somewhere that we can grow from young adults and finally begin our careers. So again I ask, College students ARE YOU OKAY? What can be done to alleviate this stress that colleges/universities seem to impose upon their students?
Further information about Varun Manish Chheda’s death and college suicides can be found at:
https://nypost.com/2022/10/13/purdue-student-ji-min-sha-charged-with- murder-of-varun-chheda/
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/purdue-student-charged- murder-brutal-stabbing-dorm-r oommate-rcna51944
https://indianexpress.com/article/education/student-suicides-in-india- five-year-high-ncrb-data-81 22116/ #:~:text=In%202020%2C%20as%20many%20as,8%20per%20cent%20i n%202021.