As students returned from summer break, UNG’s campuses once again filled with activity. Alongside returning students, thousands of freshmen stepped onto campus, facing not only new coursework but also dramatic lifestyle changes.
With about 20,000 students, UNG is one of the state’s largest public universities. The university’s website says meeting the needs of the student body is a key priority, but Dr. Simon Cordery, director of the Student Counseling Center, says freshmen mental health is often overlooked.
“For American students, when freshmen come to college for the first time, it is frequently the first time they’ve lived away from home,” Cordery said. “It’s the first time they may be sharing a room, making decisions for themselves about when they’re going to do what and making choices — and that’s a lot of pressure.”…