Photo courtesy of Care Hospitals.

From persistent loneliness to skyrocketing levels of anxiety and depression, the pandemic has impacted mental health in the United States dramatically. According to a study done by the Center for Promise in June 2020, 30% of young people say they have been feeling unhappy or depressed more often, and over ¼  of youths surveyed have lost sleep due to worry, sadness, depression, or loss of confidence in themselves. Additionally, isolation can lead to negative physical effects, such as higher blood pressure, susceptibility to infection, and a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and dementia. So, when schools across the nation reunited this September for a fully in-person school year, it’s no surprise that students were excited. This year was the first taste of normalcy, and many looked forward to all the positives that come with seeing friends, classmates, and teachers alike everyday. However, seeing people face-to-face again poses its own mental challenges. 

In recent months, schools and workplaces have opened up and people have begun attending events in person. For extroverts that crave social interaction, coming back in person has been beneficial for their mental health. For example, extroverted Bianca Hessler (‘24) felt that being back in school helped her build connections and strengthen relationships with both students and teachers: “It’s better because I learn how Bryn Mawr works… and how to advocate for myself.” Having spent her first year of Upper School in a virtual/hybrid setting, coming back to campus was a beneficial adjustment. Bianca further explained that communicating with teachers through a screen last year was difficult at times. In contrast, non-virtual interactions with teachers helped her gain confidence in her schoolwork and improved her motivation. 

While this transition helped many people who felt trapped in their houses during the pandemic, others experienced uncertainty about what this new “normal” looks like. As stated by psychologist Dana Garfin of the University of California, Irvine, “uncertainty drives anxiety.” Students from Bryn Mawr and across the country have expressed their concern for coming back to school and having their lives “get back to normal.” 

For them, the shift was a mentally draining one. Many describe going through an “adjustment period”, where they would go to school then come home completely exhausted from living in this new way. Ms. Park, an Upper School English teacher, explained how coming back in person was particularly difficult with the masks. One perk of Zoom was that everyone’s faces could be seen, but now that masks cover half of our faces, it can be difficult to gauge how others are feeling. Moreover, on top of pressure for teachers to constantly lead class discussions, they had to manage all the new technological complications, all energy-draining tasks. 

As life returns to a pre-Covid state, while these experiences vary, there are overall upsides. These changes in mental health over the pandemic allowed the CDC, NIMH, and other agencies to bring more awareness to crisis intervention services and helplines. And mental health is slowly but surely becoming a topic more people are talking about.