Mental Health and Back to School - A Balancing Act

Back to school time (especially a triumphant return at our beloved Penn State) comes with many emotions. Once the excitement and novelty dies down and reality sinks back in, a strong emotion that is prevalent in the lives of college students in this day in age arises: stress and anxiety.

The annual Healthy Minds Study found that 44% of students reported symptoms of depression and 37% reported symptoms of anxiety due to the pressures of college.Balancing school with work, other campus involvement, internships and the tribulations of life is a familiarity to us at CommAgency.

So, we decided to talk to junior Francesca Ebert, a member of the Live Production department, about how she manages her school and work, and any advice she can impart on students struggling to strike a balance. Francie’s schedule is jam-packed, combining a plethora of student involvement and her academics as a Broadcast Journalism major. The key to her success? Time management. “I get the assignments and stuff I consider ‘most important’ out of the way. This makes it easier to determine what needs to get done,” says Francie. “Organization is critical; writing down when you have meetings, adding events to your calendar, and crossing off past meetings can help align your schedule.”

Francie also prioritizes her mental health when busy, putting her mind, body and soul above all.“ My advice for students struggling with balance is to put yourself and your well-being first. Days can get busy, and things can be forgotten, but don't fret. Focus on your goals and continue to work hard, but not everything is end-all-be-all,” says Francie.

At CommAgency, we value hard work; but we also value well-being. By managing our time effectively, controlling the controllables, and taking care of our minds, we produce top-notch media content… and have fun doing it.