College away from home has added stressors

(WJAR) — "I don't want to be in college like this,” said Ashlyn McCormick, a sophomore at Suffolk University in Boston, who’s from Cranston.

A hotel room is taking the place of her dorm and she's learning mostly virtually.

"It's hard to handle and it just feels like you're kind of alone,” said McCormick.

"My gym is closed, library's closed, dining hall is only to-go eating. It' really hard to make friends especially when I only see people with masks on,” said 18-year-old Liz Abouzeid, a freshman at Providence College, who lives in Ohio.

"It's been really easy for me to look at social media and feel like I'm the only one in this position, I'm the only one having a hard time at college but everyone should just know they're not alone."

Sadly, many young people do feel alone, and isolated, away from friends and family.

Perhaps then it's no surprise that a recent CDC survey showed one out of four young people between the ages of 18 and 24 have seriously contemplated suicide.

"That's so sad, but honestly right now, it doesn't surprise me,” said Abouzeid.

Since many college students are living away from home, Dr. Karyn Horowitz, a pediatric psychiatrist, and the chief medical officer at Bradley Hospital, said it’s a good idea to stay in close contact with your children and listen.

"If your children are making statements that have a real hopeless bent to them, take it seriously,” said Horowitz.

And know that help, on many levels, is available and can make a difference.

" I do get therapy help, I take medication and stuff and I've been seeking out different ways, like journaling," said McCormick.

She said other teens need to know this: "Me too. Me too. It's okay because this too shall pass."

"It's definitely good to talk about it and share your experiences with other people because that's how you realize that you're not alone and that hopefully it'll get better soon,” said Abouzeid.

Horowitz said if your child is away at college, stay in close contact and encourage them to talk about how they're thinking and feeling.

And schools are doing a great job offering mental health resources to students.

For more information and help from Kids Link RI, click here or call 1-855-543-5465.