Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1: Assignment 7

Opportunity: Creating an app for UF students that connects students with a counselor, or “friend”, at any time.

 

Who:  UF students looking for mental health resources

What: They are unable to utilize traditional methods

Why: Personal preferences and logistical hardships make going to campus difficult

 

Testing the who: UF students struggle with mental health. College is hard, and the pressure to succeed is high. College is a huge adjustment for most students: campus is big, the student body is massive, and lectures are enormous. Students should have a resource that helps them with the transition.

 

Testing the what: Traditional on-campus resources are overextended. The wait to see someone is weeks. While not every student may feel the need for the opportunity, it’s a nice peace of mind to know that one day students can easily find help.

 

Testing the why: I’m not blaming the on-campus resources. I have been personally impacted by mental health and I believe that this resource could help so many. I have tried to use traditional on-campus resources, but they’re supposed to be for short-term help.

 

Summary of interviews: I interviewed 3 current UF students and 2 former UF students. All of them said they had struggled some way with their mental health—for example, anxiety, depression, or PTSD. They had all either used on-campus resources or thought about it and then didn’t follow through. When I asked for their experiences with the current options, they all seemed a little displeased. For the ones that ended up not using the current options, they said they felt there was stigma around it. I told each one about the possibility of an app: an app that would allow you to talk about whatever you want whenever you want. They all appeared to really like the concept.

 

Why I didn’t know before: I didn’t know that so many people have also gone to or tried to go to the traditional on-campus resources. I had felt like an odd ball and slightly ashamed for going, but hearing other people talk about their process was inspiring.

Comments

  1. Sophia PinedaJune 1, 2020 at 10:30 AM

    Hey Chaplin, I think this would be a widely used app, and as you said, there are many people who would benefit from this. I think this is something that should have been implemented already, and the university would definitely want for the students. The only thing you would have to think about, is if there is enough personnel to be readily available at every time of the day. Maybe try to narrow it down to working hours, that would be more attainable. Good idea!!!

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