College Mental Health and Wellness: Finding Balance That Works

College asks a lot of you. Classes. Relationships. Activities. Work. Athletics. Decisions about your future. Somewhere in the middle of all of that, taking care of yourself can begin to feel like one more thing you’re supposed to accomplish.

But college mental health and wellness isn’t another box to check. It’s part of being able to learn, connect, grow and handle the challenges that come with college life.

And wellness doesn’t mean getting everything right. It means paying attention to what you need, understanding what helps you function well and being willing to seek support when something feels off.

What Does Mental Health and Wellness Mean in College?

Mental health and wellness are related, but wellness encompasses more than how you’re feeling emotionally.

Kim Retherford, director of Gardner-Webb University’s Counseling Services, describes wellness as an overall sense of well-being that can include mental, physical, spiritual, relational and even financial health.

Mental health is one part of that larger picture.

"Mental health is still part of health."

That simple idea can change how students think about caring for themselves. Eating, sleeping, exercising, maintaining healthy relationships and tending to emotional needs aren’t distractions from succeeding in college. They’re interconnected pieces of being well.

Wellness also isn’t identical for everyone. What restores one student may not work for another. Understanding your own needs is part of the process.

Why Connection and Belonging Matter

College often brings significant changes in relationships. Students may leave family and longtime friends, live with new people and begin building entirely new communities.

That makes connection particularly important.

Retherford explains that people are naturally driven toward relationships and need healthy connections throughout their lives. On a college campus, finding those relationships can become an important part of adjusting to a new environment.

Bogdan Podgaisky, a university counselor at Gardner-Webb, says the uncertainty that accompanies college can heighten that desire for belonging.

Healthy connection doesn’t require having an enormous social circle. It may mean finding a few people who understand you, respect your boundaries and allow you to be yourself.

It also means recognizing the difference between being comfortable spending time alone and feeling genuinely isolated.

Wellness Is About Balance, Not Perfection

Trying to improve your wellness can ironically become another source of pressure.

Exercise every day. Eat perfectly. Get eight hours of sleep. Maintain friendships. Study. Work. Join organizations. Practice self-care.

That’s not the point.

"The goal is not to be perfect in every area. In fact, I would say that that is impossible to be perfect in every area." —Bogdan Podgaisky

Instead, Podgaisky encourages students to think about balance. Some areas of wellness may naturally be stronger than others. When something begins lagging, students can intentionally give it more attention.

That might mean taking a walk, reconnecting with a friend, protecting some quiet time or getting back to an activity you enjoy.

Small choices count. Wellness doesn’t require reinventing your entire life Monday morning.

Why Rest Is Part of Doing Your Best Work

Rest may be one of the easiest things for busy college students to sacrifice.

There’s always another chapter to read, assignment to finish or exam to prepare for. But pushing harder isn’t necessarily the same thing as working better.

Retherford notes that when students become highly stressed and overwhelmed, they may spend hours studying without retaining or understanding what they’re reading. Sometimes the productive choice is to step away, take a break and return when they’re better able to engage.

Podgaisky offers another way to think about it:

"We don't really work so that we can rest. We rest so that we can work well."

Rest isn’t simply a reward you earn after finishing everything. Sleep, breaks and recovery help prepare your mind and body for the work you’re asking them to do.

How Do You Know When It's Time to Ask for Help?

Sometimes you’ve slept, taken a break, connected with friends and tried to take better care of yourself—and something still doesn’t feel right.

That doesn’t mean you need to diagnose yourself.

It may simply mean it’s time to talk to someone.

Retherford encourages students who feel that something is off to find a trusted source of support. That might be a counselor, professor, friend, roommate, family member or another trusted person.

The important part is not assuming you have to figure everything out alone.

Counseling can also be one of those options. Students don’t need to arrive knowing exactly what’s wrong or what they need. Gardner-Webb counselors work with students to identify what they would like to gain from the experience and build from there.

Small Ways to Support Your Mental Health in College

Wellness becomes more manageable when you stop treating it as one giant goal. Start by taking inventory of what’s happening in your life.

Consider asking yourself:

Where am I stretched too thin? Would saying "no" to something allow me to say "yes" to something I value more?
What restores me? Consider activities, movement, hobbies, faith practices, time outside or simply taking a break.
What feels different? If you've noticed a meaningful change in how you're feeling or functioning, consider talking with someone you trust.

Most importantly, don’t turn wellness into another competition.

Being intentional about your mental health isn’t about achieving a perfect balance. It’s about noticing what you need and responding to it.

Find Mental Health Support at Gardner-Webb

Gardner-Webb students have access to Counseling Services for individual support as well as groups and wellness-focused opportunities. Services are available to eligible traditional undergraduate, graduate and online students, with options varying based on student location and need.

If something feels off—or you simply want someone to talk with—you don’t have to wait until you’re in crisis to reach out.

Explore Gardner-Webb’s Counseling Center resources, services and appointment information to find the support that’s right for you.

The GWU Counseling Center is in the Tucker Student Center.

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
To schedule an appointment please call or email us at:
Phone: (704) 406-2729
Email: [email protected]

Additional Support Links:

The Counseling Center

Campus Life