With finals approaching, students may struggle with mounting stress and the risk of falling behind, as the pressure begins to impact their daily routines. CSUN offers free mental health and wellness resources available to students year-round.
According to the American College Health Association, nearly 87% of students who reported issues felt moderate to severe stress during the 2023 fall semester.
University Counseling Services (USC) Director Julie Pearce said, “We do see an increase in drop-in crisis counseling during midterms and finals times.”
She mentioned that the UCS, located in Bayramian Hall 520, has been consistently busy in recent years.
The UCS offers services such as individual and couples therapy, alcohol and drug counseling, crisis counseling and group and wellness workshops. According to Pearce, UCS staff encourages students to join one of the 18 group workshops offered each semester.
The UCS is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on weekends. Although these are the operational hours to visit in person, students can still get help at any time by calling the after hours phone number listed on their website and choosing option 3.
Students can trust that their information during calls and sessions will be kept confidential. Unless a student expresses intentions of harming themselves or others, what is said in session, stays in session.
In addition to mental health resources provided at CSUN, students can also use the Oasis Wellness Center to relax. The Oasis opened in 2015 after a National College Health Assessment study on CSUN students, showed that the biggest obsoletes for students were lack of sleep and poor stress management skills.
To support students, the Oasis offers massage chairs, nap pods, VR guided meditation, wellness workshops and more.
Abigayle Brown, wellness center supervisor, said, “We proactively create a space for students to focus on their sleep, health and participate in various forms of self-care, since self-care can look different to different people.”
Janice Mancilla, a journalism major, said she found out about the Oasis through advertisements.
“I was told it was a good resource for students to relax, especially after midterms and finals,” Mancilla said. “Overall, I just thought it’d be a cool place to wind down.”
Mancilla mentioned that it is best for students to make appointments, as spots in the Oasis fill up quickly. The services are free of charge, as they are included in students’ tuition.
The current hours of the Oasis are Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The center is closed on the weekends.
Brown noted that the Oasis established its hours of operation after reviewing data from facility usage patterns, student needs and overall efficiency from previous semesters.
“We will be conducting another review of facility usage in the near future,” said Brown. “This will allow us to reassess current needs and make any necessary adjustments. We always want to assure that students’ input has been taken into account.”
