4A- Forming An Opportunity Belief

One of the challenges that college students deal with is eating disorders. College is a big change for many students. The four years spent at college can be very stressful and overwhelming for students and some students do not know how to properly deal with stress or anxiety. Stress and anxiety can cause many problems including over eating or not eating enough. The workload in college is much different then what students are use to from high school. This increases in workload, busy schedule and managing food intake in college can cause unhealthy eating habits that some students will not be able to control, which can lead to an eating disorder. Eating disorders have always been around and people have been dealing with them for ever but it is getting worse. The amount of students who are reaching out to mental health counselors is increasing. Colleges do offer free mental health counseling to every student, but not everyone who needs help reaches out. eating disorders and mental health should be more talked about so that those who need help will feel comfortable reaching out. I believe that counselors should spread the word about the UF Counseling and Wellness Center. This would make students who need help feel more comfortable to talk about their problems. I am 75% sure that this opportunity exists for UF counselors to talk to students about seeking help for their problems.

#1- Female who is a sophomore at UF

• Was the first year of college a big change for you?

"Yes, freshman year of college was difficult for me. I faced so many problems like making new friends, trying to keep good grades and and trying to stay happy."

• Do you think that the majority of college students have a difficult time dealing with stress and anxiety?

"Yes, I think that everybody has many problems and difficult times while being in college. I faced many problems last year that I am still trying to deal with now. College is just hard for me because I have struggled anxiety for most of my life."

• Do you think that stress and anxiety can cause unhealthy eating habits?

"Yes, I do not face problems with unhealthy eating habits but I have a friend who deals with an eating disorder that gets worse when she is is very stressed."

• Are you aware that up to 20% of women in college suffer from an eating disorder?

" No I did not know that, but it does not surprise me."

• How do you think talking to a mental health counselor can help students deal with their eating disorder?

"I personally think that students who get help and talk about their problems or disorders can improve their health and how they feel."

• Have you ever talked to a counselor at the UF Counseling and Wellness Center? 

"No I have not"

Reflection: College students are aware that many of their peers suffer from eating disorders that can be caused by stress or anxiety. It seems that if students had more knowledge about the UF Counseling and Wellness Center, they would go and be able to talk about their eating disorder or any mental health problem.

#2- Male who is a sophomore at UF

• Was the first year of college a big change for you?

"My first year at UF was fine, I had fun but should have tried harder to get better grades.

• Do you think that the majority of college students have a difficult time dealing with stress and anxiety?

"Yes I think that a lot of students have a hard time managing their school work and social life which causes them to get stressed."

• Do you think that stress and anxiety can cause unhealthy eating habits?

"yes, stress and anxiety can cause problems like unhealthy eating habits. But I think that females deal with unhealthy eating habits and eating disorders more than males do."

• Are you aware that up to 20% of women in college suffer from an eating disorder?

"No I didn't know that, that is crazy."

• How do you think talking to a mental health counselor can help students deal with their eating disorder?

"I think that talking to anyone especially a mental health counselor can benefit a students life who is dealing with an eating disorder."

Have you ever talked to a counselor at the UF Counseling and Wellness Center? 

"No I have never talked to a counselor."

Reflection: After talking to a student who does not suffer from an eating disorder, I realized that even if the students don't deal with this they are still aware that there are students who do. The students who do not have unhealthy eating habits still believe that counseling can benefit the students who do have this disorder. 

#3- Female who is a Senior at UF

• Was the first year of college a big change for you?

"Yeah, I had a hard time transitioning from high school to college. College was just so different and I had trouble managing all my classes and trying to do the best I could in all my classes. I just remember feeling like I was always studying and I never had time to hangout with my friends."

• Do you think that the majority of college students have a difficult time dealing with stress and anxiety?

"Yes, throughout college I have realized that everyone around me is always stressed and some people deal with serious stress and anxiety that is difficult to handle."

• Do you think that stress and anxiety can cause unhealthy eating habits?

"Yes, one of my good friends has really bad stress and anxiety and it actually caused her to never eat enough and she is still suffering with an eating disorder."

• Are you aware that up to 20% of women in college suffer from an eating disorder?

" Wow, no I didn't know that. I knew a lot of women suffer from it but I never realized how many people it actually effects."

• How do you think talking to a mental health counselor can help students deal with their eating disorder?

"I think that talking to a mental health counselor is so helpful. My friend who has an eating disorder has actually talked to a counselor somewhere on campus and it has helped her a lot."

• Have you ever talked to a counselor at the UF Counseling and Wellness Center? 

"I never have, but I recommend it for anyone who is dealing with any mental health problem because it has really helped my friend."

Reflection: After this interview, I realize how many students deal with eating disorders and mental health problems. College students support talking to a mental health counselor to get help.

Summary: After interviewing college students about stress and anxiety and how it can lead to an eating disorder, I still believe that this opportunity is necessary. I now realize that many students deal with stress and anxiety which can lead to unhealthy eating habits, but not all students know about the Counseling and Wellness Center at UF. If more students were aware of this, I think that it would give them a place to go to talk about issues in their life that are negatively their life.