Friendship and the feeling of togetherness are important for mental wellbeing. The need to feel togetherness with a community is highlighted in special circumstances when there are no opportunities for physical socializing. On Student’s Mental Health Day on 23 April, let’s promote the community spirit together and strengthen our mental health by saying on social media, #letsdosomething.
“Mental health issues have become more common with university students year after year. Every third student experiences mental burdening, and the feelings of exhaustion are alarmingly common already in secondary school. The current coronavirus risk increases worry, anxiety, fear and sorrow also among students. In addition, worries about the progress in studies and livelihood are stressing many students even more than before,” says Sanni Lehtinen, the chairman of Nyyti ry.
Loneliness experienced by students has increased throughout the 2000s. More than every fourth student experiences loneliness from time to time, and ca. 7 per cent of university students experience loneliness often. The feeling of loneliness and lacking social support are related to the student’s attachment to their studies, as well as study progress and interruptions. Although the experience of belonging to a study-related group has become more common during the last decade, over a fifth of students still do not feel a sense of belonging to any study-related group. Strengthening the community spirit among students increases social support and promotes students’ mental wellbeing.
“Friends and belonging to a study community have an enormous effect on wellbeing and whether the student has energy for studying. That is why it is important for students and everyone working with them to support and create communities both face to face and online. Especially in these current special circumstances, it is important to create such practices for operating in online communities, which enable social support and do not leave anyone out,” says Minna Savolainen, Nyyti ry’s executive director.
Everyone deserves friendship. There is no correct formula for friendship, and we want to challenge you to tell us how you have made friends. By saying #letsdosomething, you can make your new or old friend happy.
The Student Wellbeing Network, coordinated by Nyyti, is campaigning for two weeks to promote friendship and community spirit. The Students’ Mental Health Day is Thursday 23 April, and the campaign will run from 14 to 24 April 2020.
Read more about the campaign:
In English
Suomeksi
På svenska
More information:
Sanni Lehtinen, chairman, sanni.lehtinen(a)nyyti.fi, +358 40 823 6077
Minna Savolainen, executive director, minna.savolainen(a)nyyti.fi, +358 44 589 6117
Sources:
Campaign 2020
The Yhdessä yhteisöksi Project
The health study for university students 2016 (in Finnish)
School health survey 2019 (in Finnish)