Delta College student Alexis Janneh talks about the struggles of managing school, bills, and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“My mental health wasn’t always the best… being locked away from people,contact, it can do a lot of damage(mentally),” said Janneh.
This is a very common thing that doesn’t impact just college students, but everyone.
From having a regular day-to-day life going to school- to work and hanging out with friends at the mall to just completely shutting out all human contact and staying at home is a drastic change in a short amount of time. It can be taxing on people’s mental health.
Janneh’s parents are strict and insist on her to stay at home. She has stayed home the entire time during the pandemic she isn’t allowed to even get essential allergy medication.
“ … Not being able to see my friends or the people that I care about and interact with them, it’s taking a toll on me … I just don’t feel excited anymore, it’s like a lot of the happiness has been taken away,” said Janneh.
Janneh is also battling the struggles of being able to pay for her college education while being unemployed
“ I don’t qualify for FAFSA or EOPS so i’m unable to get my tuition paid for, book, supplies … I’m paying out of pocket for … my parents don’t help me, it’s just me using the money from my part-time job, and that can get difficult as well because I have to pick what it is I need to pay for … I can’t just spend things however I like.”