Overlooked Factors In College

Words: 890
Pages: 4

Overlooked Factors: Photo Essay
Before entering college, many freshman are continuously told that “college is the best four years of their lives”. However, college is an environment that can bring out many mental health issues in students. In 2012, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reported more than 62% of students withdrew from college due to mental health condition. While Gonzaga supplies many resources for students, such as the health center, it also has an abundance of subtle and overlooked factors that lead to concern. Gonzaga contributes to feelings of helplessness, lack of control and pressure. These factors can lead to eating disorders, addiction and anxiety . To capture these feelings, these photographs were taken with dominance, contrast, and perspective in mind.
The main place for students
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When arriving at the COG entrance, every food choice is laid out on a table. Beside each food, there is a sign indicating the nutritional values and calories of each choice. Not only that, but every place with food has the calories and nutritional information listed again. Although in some respects calorie counting is a helpful tool, it can easily be taken too far. Constantly reminding students how many calories they are consuming could easily encourage obsessive and destructive eating habits. College is already a place where some students struggle with a lot of stress, which can lead them feel like they have no control. For example, many students might feel that they have no control with choosing who their friends are, roommate conflicts, or choosing their classes. A student may feel that the only thing they can control is their weight and what they put