For each other.

Several non-profit student organizations such as Matriculate have begun offering small stipends to low-income student volunteers recognizing the burden on low-income students — it’s time Yale recognizes this as well!

From my first week at Yale, I have had to seek out paid opportunities in order to fulfill the SIC unlike my wealthier peers who could pursue roles based solely on interest. Although I have loved my student jobs, the significant hours I’ve worked have greatly limited my ability to Read more…

By Students Unite Now, ago

The most telling part of that interaction was the receptionist’s surprise that I’d been assigned a therapist so quickly. Not hearing back from anyone after enduring the intake would have discouraged me, as I imagine it does other students, from continuing to pursue counseling.

Growing up, mental health issues weren’t really talked about—we were simply taught that perseverance and diligence would get us through anything. It took me a lot of time to realize that something was up. Another two years passed before I actually built up the courage to make the call to Read more…

By Students Unite Now, ago

“After facing a four-month waiting period and inconsistent communication with YMHC, the institutional care that was supposed to support me ended up compounded the anxiety I originally had.”

I’ll never forget how nervous I felt during my first YMHC intake appointments. Walking through those doors as a first year student seemed like an admittance of failure, but I knew I needed the care. After facing a four-month waiting period and inconsistent communication with YMHC, the institutional care that Read more…

By Students Unite Now, ago

“I had just come back from study abroad, there was a death in my family, and it was just a really tough time. During the time that I had to wait to get paired with someone, my mental health deteriorated a lot.”

If I had 500 fewer hours in the school year, the first things to go would be taking care of myself and a lot of unpaid extracurriculars. For example, I am one of the student coordinators of FOOT, which is an unpaid job. I put in a lot of time Read more…

By Students Unite Now, ago

“The summer contribution has been stressing me out in recent days — it requires me to work in a paid position, in addition to the current remote work I’m doing, to earn the money in full, which would mean working in retail or food service for part of my summer. Meanwhile, I live with my grandma and I’ve barely left my house in an effort to keep her as safe as possible, and yet I’m expected to contribute that money to my college education.”

The SIC has been frustrating to me, to say the least. The summer contribution has been stressing me out in recent days — it requires me to work in a paid position, in addition to the current remote work I’m doing, to earn the money in full, which would mean Read more…

By Students Unite Now, ago