Care on campus: A guide to making it through the semester
In the whirlwind of exams, assignments, and actual wind coming to campus, learn about the resources Barnard offers on campus to keep you and your classmates healthy.
Photography by Ravina Nath/The Barnard Bulletin
October 27, 2024
Whooping cough in class, sleep deprivation after 2 a.m. study sessions, condom wrappers on elevator floors—our campus sees it all.
As midterm season progresses indefinitely, students are urged to continue to attend class, keep up with clubs, and remain socially active, all while balancing the ever-difficult task of staying healthy. Whether it’s mental, physical, or sexual, resources around campus are abundant and available to help you in a pinch.
The first confirmed case of pertussis, or whooping cough, was sourced to an economics class on Columbia’s Morningside campus. Students were notified of this development via email on September 19 by Barnard’s Health and Wellness team, leaving many confused due to the common nature of whooping cough’s symptoms. Stuffy noses, low-grade fevers, and coughing fits can all likely be attributed to one of the many illnesses circulating on campus at the moment. This is by no means a novel scenario—in fact, a survey of 24,000 college students in the fall of 2023 found that 44.6% of students were diagnosed with the flu and/or respiratory illness.
If you're experiencing a mystery respiratory illness, rest assured you don’t have to be your own detective: an appointment at Primary Health Care Services (PCHS) can help. Located in the lower level of Brooks Hall, PCHS is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday and is equipped with masks to be used at your disposal. Since they currently don’t accept walk-ins, make sure to call ahead at 212-854-2091 to schedule an appointment. They may send you upstairs to the vending machine on the first floor of Brooks Hall for a COVID test, so if you’re questioning whether to take one with PCHS, you can save the trip by purchasing a test and taking it before you head down.
However, if it’s past PCHS’s open hours and you still need assistance, they’re equipped with medical advice on their after-hours line at 855-622-1903. Remember to use this line only when PCHS is not open.
Other than physical illness, midterm burnout is a palpable feeling on campus.
Exacerbated by various or unspecified exam end-dates, social and academic pressure is a real phenomenon to look out for in yourself and those you care about. Keeping up with essays, office hours, and studying in general requires mental organization and discipline. With these time commitments contributing to inadequate sleep, irregular food consumption, and higher stress levels, it becomes increasingly apparent why approximately 40% of college students experience depression symptoms during midterm season.
In response to greater stress on campus, the Furman Counseling Center is now open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday. Located at 100 Hewitt Hall, they feature special hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for crisis appointments in the case of emergencies. Equipped with clinicians and mental health staff, the center boasts an importance on no issue being too small or too big. As a Barnard student, you are free to access their individual and group therapy sessions, which can be planned around your specific situation. To schedule an appointment, call 212-854-2092 and indicate how urgent your concern is as they can often see you the same day.
As helpful as daytime hours are, not every situation occurs at a convenient time.
With every trip to Butler at 2 a.m., it is important to remember the resources we have one call away, even after hours. Similarly to PCHS, there is an open line for any situations that occur past 5 p.m. or on the weekends that can be accessed by dialing 212-854-2092, the same number as what can be called for an appointment with Furman. Through this, you can indicate that you need to speak to a mental health professional, and they can connect you efficiently and in a time of need.
Another unique asset to Barnard is the CARES Center, which sets standards for community care in a variety of ways, including psychosocial around-the-clock care. CARES has an emergency line at 212-854-6666 where physical help can also be provided if you notice signs of current or potential physical self-harm to yourself or others.
After leaving PCHS or the Furman Center, you may end up taking the Brooks elevators up to your dorm. If you’ve been in these elevators within the past two weeks, you might recognize the condom wrappers left on the floor. This presents the perfect opportunity to discuss the availability of sexual health resources on campus. While 70.6% of college campuses report having sexual wellness health centers and resources, only 27% of students report accessing these resources. Whether the reason is the stigma around sexual wellness or a lack of knowledge about the resources available, the fact remains: one in four college students contract an STD or STI in their four years on campus, many who present asymptomatically. With these numbers, erring on the side of caution is easy at Barnard.
The Wellness Spot, located on the lower level of Reid Hall, is equipped with peer educators on reproductive resources and wellness who are available every weekday from 1 to 4 p.m., except on Tuesdays, when they open at 2 p.m. Outside the office for the Wellness Spot is a stand with different contraceptives and brochures on contraceptive use, which are free to all students.
In the nearby Brooks Hall lobby on the first floor, there is also a vending machine available 24/7, dispensing sexual wellness and personal care items such as emergency oral contraceptive pills. Considering the CVS and Duane Reades nearby close at midnight and have the same products at a 500% upcharge (that’s not an exaggeration), these items are listed for reduced prices to ensure equitable access.
Whether you need to get rid of a cough, talk out midterm nerves, or take advantage of resources like our elevator friends, the health services at Barnard are here for you this fall. Feel free to take advantage of them because after all, they were tailored for you.