Well, college life can be exciting, but it can also be overwhelming.

Between academic pressure, financial strains, and social expectations, many students are quietly struggling with their mental health.

At Kean University today, a unique statewide event brought together students, campus leaders, and educators for an honest conversation about these struggles and how to better support students across New Jersey.

Raven Santana reports from this student-centered, student-led event, speaking to some of those in attendance.

You see, mental health challenges are real and widespread.

All too often, they're unseen, unspoken, and misunderstood.

It was more than just a conference.

It was a call to action.

At Kean University, more than 200 educators, students and mental health advocates came together for a first of its kind statewide student mental health summit.

An honest conversation about what it means to struggle, to seek help and to heal.

President Dr.

Lamont-Rebellet says stress, economic pressure and performance anxiety have become part of the college experience for too many students.

I think the whole idea of trauma and stress, you know, really this time, you know, economic conditions, you know, that draws out your stress levels even higher.

You know, the stress levels that you have to perform in college, you know, the parent, the pressure that society puts on you, the parents put on you.

So I think right now this spotlight is important for all of us because it allows us to really have that important conversation.

The event hosted in partnership with the New Jersey office of the Secretary of Higher Education featured peer-led panels, personal storytelling, yoga and interactive exhibits designed to break the stigma and spark connection.

I go to Stevens and it's very STEM focused and so I see that a lot of students have anxiety or they have pressures when it comes to like their academics because it's really focused on at our school.

So I think a summit like this is important for people to realize like hey this is a problem that everyone has.

The Student Mental Health Ambassador Program, a group of 30 ambassadors representing 19 colleges and universities, organized the event as part of a statewide push for more peer-to-peer support.

It builds on New Jersey's growing investment in campus mental health resources funded under the Murphy administration.

We are definitely highlighting burnout and academic burnout for sure.

That's another reason why we wanted the presidents of these schools to come here to hear from student perspectives of mental burnout and how that's a real thing and it's a real issue.

Another thing that we wanted to highlight is the cultural diversity of New Jersey and how huge that impacts our academic abilities and our success.

As a person from South Asian descent, mental health is kind of seen as a privileged problem, as a problem that you can't afford to have if you're from the lower class, as a problem that not everybody goes through, a problem that you really, it's a right to have.

When in all reality that's not true at all, that's very far from it.

We're discouraged to speak about it.

We're discouraged to make it seem normalized.

We're discouraged to be able to truly delve into actual pieces of dialogue within the whole sphere of mental health.

And it's a hurtful cycle to be very, very real with you.

The program features a range of approaches to building resilience, including firsthand stories from students who have navigated through their own mental health challenges.

So the title of my presentation is called turning pain into purpose.

So I'll be speaking about my own mental health journey and the struggles that I faced and how I overcame it and it's not something that you just do one day.

It's something that's currently like a process that you get over when it comes to mental health.

So it's something that you do each and every day.

The process looks different for everyone, including non-traditional students struggling work, school and family.

It's so important because I am the oldest ambassador here, so I've always felt like I can connect with the younger students.

So my stresses are how many bills gonna get paid?

Is my financial aid gonna go through?

My other stresses are I have two children since I'm a single mom, so I have to make sure everything is in order.

The guilt of still going away, being on campus.

Organizers say that's exactly the goal to remind students across New Jersey that mental health affects everyone and no one should have to face it in silence.

For NJ Spotlight News, I'm Raven Santana.

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