As institutions wrap up their fall semesters, many faculty, staff, and students look forward to a chance to go home to familiar stomping grounds and family traditions. But for students who identify as LGBTQ+, particularly those who identify as non-binary, going home for winter break can paint a more complicated picture.
Holiday stress impacts almost all students, according to a new survey of over 1,200 students from TimelyMD, a virtual health and wellbeing company that partners with almost 250 higher education institutions. Many students expressed concerns about upcoming family-time, travel, and the financial burden of the holiday.
Dr. D-L Stewart, professor and chair of the higher education department at the University of Denver.
These feelings aren’t just experienced by first-year freshman but by all students throughout their undergraduate and even graduate careers, said Dr. D-L Stewart, professor and chair of the higher education department at the University of Denver.
No matter where a student is in their educational journey, when their institution closes for the holidays, some will lose access to the mental health supports and resources they could previously count on. Companies like TimelyMD want to fill the gap that can be created when institutions (and their counseling centers) close for the winter break, said Seli Fakorzi, director of mental health operations at TimelyMD.
“We’ve talked about how this mental health crisis has blown up quickly—mental health was a crisis, and COVID-19 was the gasoline,” said Fakorzi. “Campus counseling center directors just don’t have the bandwidth to do it all.”
TimelyMD helps students connect with counseling services no matter where they go home for the holidays. Help is available day and night every day of the year. Fakorzi shared the story of one student whose domestic situation became complicated on Thanksgiving day. TimelyMD’s counselors and support system were able to offer that student help, regardless of the holiday.
