Me as a Student: AUBG’s Latest Mental Health Initiative

College is an environment with lots of potential to overwhelm students. Simultaneously attending classes, completing assignments, and juggling real life all while planning for the future is a strain that many students uphold. These problems are exactly what inspired the program Me as a Student, a weekly meeting where AUBG students speak with peer counselors to unravel the various woes of college life. The hour-long meetings are held every Monday at 6 p.m. in the Skaptopara I Counseling Center.

The Me as a Student program is currently organized by peer counseling students at AUBG: freshman Chris Tenchev, senior Mitko Donev, and sophomore Nikola Naumovski. The program is supervised by AUBG’s psychologist, Rayna Tuzlukova-Vetsova. They first privately deliberate on relevant student issues, like time management or procrastination, then on Mondays hold the open meeting followed by a general discussion.

World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10 had the first glimpse of the program. The peer counselors arranged multiple activities to promote student well-being. There were events like a morning jog, art therapy, and a presentation from the peer counselors on a student-related issue. According to the hosts Chris and Mitko, the presentation went well, but the conversation held afterward was truly cathartic, leaving a lasting impression on the participants. This talk was the unintentional precursor of what would become Me as a Student. After the talk’s success, the counselors asked Tuzlukova-Vetsova to make the meetings regular, to which Chris said she was “totally down for it.”

The peer counselors noticed that their efforts are comparable to the Psychology Club, the difference being its scale. Chris claims that peer counseling “puts a lot of emphasis on doing things personally.” Both groups have arranged similar activities such as art therapy and yoga, but Me as a Student is a more intimate and regular gathering, having around six or seven participants each session. But this quantity is ideal, as it allows everyone to take part and relieve themselves through discussion.

Mitko, also a Psychology Club member, said that the peer counseling team is working on being independent for Fall 2022 but could have the opportunity to collaborate in upcoming semesters. “From next semester on, they could be two entities helping each other because they’re both trying to achieve a very good goal,” he said, since both groups work to spread awareness on mental health and develop tactics to maintain it.

Mitko is a senior studying Business Administration and Psychology. He learned about peer counseling in the Fall of 2019 when Tuzlukova-Vetsova sent a student-wide email introducing the program. Those interested would reply and have a brief informal interview on motivations to join. Chris, a first-year student also studying Business Administration and Psychology, became a peer counselor in the spring when Professor Harvey suggested the work after class. The Counseling Center’s Peer Education Program is a two-year program where AUBG students can implement numerous outreach events and gain skills in counseling services as peer counselors.

Chris described Me as a Student as a “podcast without the mics.” Students get a chance to gather and decompress, releasing whatever strains come to mind in a constructive setting in hope to develop new habits. “Definitely talking with people is incredibly beneficial. We’re social creatures, at the end of the day, so we have that instinct.”

On mental health, Chris mentioned people are prone to being closed off, settling for quick solutions or eliminating emotions instead of combating the problem. “A lot of people ignore their mental health. They focus too much on resilience and enduring pain rather than trying to fix things.” He said how mental and physical health is intertwined, crediting habits as a surefire way to improving overall well-being. “You need to find a way to live more healthily, more easily. Habits, it just goes on its own at some point and you don’t even have to think about it.”

Mitko said that letting loose and talking about one’s issues, no matter the size is a big takeaway from the program. “You feel calmer. I didn’t expect a regular talk at an hour and a half would have that effect,” he said.

He also noticed how people’s free time is frequently alone watching Netflix or going to parties or Underground. “Having time for yourself is very important as well, but social activity should not be underestimated. Calm, regular meetings with several people just doing something is a lot better.”

The peer counseling team plans on continuing Me as a Student throughout the semester and in the future. Mitko and Chris both believe that the program has huge potential for growth. “For everybody that’s out there suffering in some way, you’re not alone,” said Chris. “If you have an issue, you can always talk with us, the peer counseling team. Also, psychologists, licensed professionals. But sometimes somebody who’s completely unaware of your problem, someone you just met or that is close to you, that may be enough.”