An odd string of tragic suicides has hit North Carolina State University during the fall semester, as another student took their own life on Thursday, making this the fourth suicide to happen.
In the most recent suicide, a male sophomore was found dead in a residence hall room at the Wolf Village Apartments.
The North Carolina university has lost a total of five students this semester, four from suicide and one from an off-campus car accident.
The string of suicides has left the school’s student body full of shock and grief. Just when students have recovered from one tragedy another seems to ensue, causing more heartache.
“When I heard about the first one, it really hit. Another one happened. Then another happened and one happened yesterday. I don’t know what to do anymore,” senior Jodie Horne said.
A week ago the university hosted a campus-wide Wellness Day for students. Classes were canceled and students were encouraged to focus on their mental health and check in with their families. The school offered students a variety of calming activities, such as yoga, crafts, guided walks and video games.
“Words can’t express how sad and difficult this is for our students and campus,” NC State said in a statement. “The university is pouring every resource we have available into reaching our students in need and providing them support and guidance. Our staff and medical professionals are working around the clock to help steer students to the many resources currently available, and we’ve asked our new student mental health task force to develop additional short-term and long-term strategies to help our students.”
Students claim that the amount of academic pressure could be a huge contributing factor affecting the youth’s mental health.
“I know that’s one of the things that bothers me a lot. So I understand where that struggle comes from. The need to succeed is big pressure,” Alessandro Dal Pra, a chemical engineering major, said.
Many students turn to extra-curricular activities or hobbies to try and beat the stress.
“I just keep going. Try not to stay stagnate. I go to the gym or find something to do,” Aaron Hills, a computer science major, said.
According to the NC State Center for Health and Statistics, suicide was the second leading cause of death for young people in the ages 10-18 in 2019, and the third leading cause of death for those 19-34.
Local psychotherapist Kamala Uzzell, who is familiar with university’s counseling center, said, “The school is doing all it can to support its students but still needs additional help. The massive public college has an undergraduate enrollment of over 26,000 students. If there is any failing, it’s that we need to have more focus, more attention and more money put toward mental health resources.”
My dad says that taking super b complex vitamin tablets every day cures stress. He also says that the government has known about this since 1931. Trump tried to declassify this information, but the evil deep state stopped him.