In recent years, this university has seen its share of tragedy. There have been too many untimely deaths of students, faculty and staff members that have shaken the Penn community and caused sorrow across the campus.
Unfortunately, tragedies occur everywhere, and this semester, the spotlight has been shining on New York University, where three student deaths in the last two months have drawn national attention. Penn has had its share of similar circumstances, and it is easy for members of this community to relate to and commiserate with their peers who attend school only two hours away.
Penn is fortunate to have a strong infrastructure in place to help counsel those who are affected by these unfortunate events and even to prevent them from occurring. Counseling and Psychological Services is consistently recognized as one of the best programs in the nation, and the department has held nearly 6,000 consultations, meetings and workshops in the past five years.
Students on this campus should be aware that they do not have to fight their battles alone. Whether it's a simple case of stress-related anxiety or a bout of depression, CAPS workers are available 24-7 to help students deal with their problems. The severity of mental disorders is increasing on college campuses nationwide, and there is no reason for students to ignore their symptoms or be afraid to share their feelings with someone who can and wants to help.
It shouldn't take a tragedy for students to take advantage of the counseling resources available to them. The unfortunate events at NYU did not occur on this campus, but they have in the past, and they reinforce the need for anyone who feels depressed to seek help.
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