{"id":20775,"date":"2022-05-23T20:05:05","date_gmt":"2022-05-23T20:05:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/academics.otc.edu\/disabilitysupport\/?page_id=20775"},"modified":"2022-07-25T21:35:27","modified_gmt":"2022-07-25T21:35:27","slug":"article-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/academics.otc.edu\/disabilitysupport\/article-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Article Mental Health"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
Your psychological\u00a0<\/span>well<\/span>\u2013<\/span>being\u00a0<\/span>affects\u00a0<\/span>every\u00a0<\/span>aspect of\u00a0<\/span>your\u00a0<\/span>life<\/span>, including\u00a0<\/span>how well you do\u00a0<\/span>in class<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>If you are\u00a0<\/span>struggling\u00a0<\/span>with your\u00a0<\/span>mental health and\u00a0<\/span>you<\/span>\u2019<\/span>d like to\u00a0<\/span>talk\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>your professor\u00a0<\/span>about <\/span>it, set\u00a0<\/span>up\u00a0<\/span>an office hours\u00a0<\/span>appointment\u00a0<\/span>with them, <\/span>ask\u00a0<\/span>if\u00a0<\/span>you\u00a0<\/span>can\u00a0<\/span>make up\u00a0<\/span>any missed\u00a0<\/span>assignments <\/span>you may\u00a0<\/span>have<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and keep checking\u00a0<\/span>in with your professor\u00a0<\/span>throughout\u00a0<\/span>the term<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>It may seem intimidating,\u00a0<\/span>but\u00a0<\/span>you\u00a0<\/span>can have\u00a0<\/span>an\u00a0<\/span>open and honest\u00a0<\/span>chat\u00a0<\/span>about\u00a0<\/span>mental\u00a0<\/span>health\u00a0<\/span>with your\u00a0<\/span>professor<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Knowing\u00a0<\/span>When\u00a0<\/span>To\u00a0<\/span>Talk\u00a0<\/span>To Your\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>Professor<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Email\u00a0<\/span>your professor\u00a0<\/span>before the\u00a0<\/span>term starts\u00a0<\/span>if\u00a0<\/span>you\u00a0<\/span>know\u00a0<\/span>you\u00a0<\/span>may struggle<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>If your\u00a0<\/span>mental <\/span>health has gotten\u00a0<\/span>in the way of <\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>class before<\/span>, you\u00a0<\/span>may know\u00a0<\/span>it\u00a0<\/span>could be\u00a0<\/span>an\u00a0<\/span>issue before\u00a0<\/span>it\u00a0<\/span>even <\/span>happens<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Loop your professor\u00a0<\/span>in\u00a0<\/span>before the term\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0<\/span>semester starts\u00a0<\/span>and let them know\u00a0<\/span>why you <\/span>might miss\u00a0<\/span>class or be late sometimes<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Letting them know\u00a0<\/span>early\u00a0<\/span>will make your professor\u00a0<\/span>much more accommodating\u00a0<\/span>and willing to work\u00a0<\/span>with\u00a0<\/span>you<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>\u2022\u00a0<\/span>Send a short email\u00a0<\/span>saying, \u201c<\/span>Hi Professor<\/span>, I\u2019m\u00a0<\/span>in\u00a0<\/span>your Math\u00a0<\/span>200\u00a0<\/span>class\u00a0<\/span>this term and I just wanted to let <\/span>you\u00a0<\/span>know that\u00a0<\/span>I have\u00a0<\/span>been struggling with\u00a0<\/span>my mental health lately<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>This\u00a0<\/span>may\u00a0<\/span>cause me to miss\u00a0<\/span>1\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0<\/span>2 <\/span>classes or be late\u00a0<\/span>on some\u00a0<\/span>assignments<\/span>. I\u2019d\u00a0<\/span>like\u00a0<\/span>to set up an\u00a0<\/span>office\u00a0<\/span>hours\u00a0<\/span>appointment with you to discuss\u00a0<\/span>my\u00a0<\/span>action\u00a0<\/span>plan for\u00a0<\/span>this class<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d
\n<\/span>\u2022\u00a0<\/span>Try not\u00a0<\/span>to sound\u00a0<\/span>like\u00a0<\/span>you are\u00a0<\/span>asking for special\u00a0<\/span>treatment<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Instead<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>frame it as cluing\u00a0<\/span>your professor <\/span>in<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Talk\u00a0<\/span>to your\u00a0<\/span>professor\u00a0<\/span>as soon as you start missing assignments<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Once\u00a0<\/span>you miss one <\/span>assignment<\/span>, it\u00a0<\/span>can snowball until\u00a0<\/span>your\u00a0<\/span>grade\u00a0<\/span>cannot be saved<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>If you\u00a0<\/span>notice\u00a0<\/span>that your mental <\/span>health is\u00a0<\/span>causing you to fall\u00a0<\/span>behind in class<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>let\u00a0<\/span>your professor\u00a0<\/span>know right\u00a0<\/span>away why this\u00a0<\/span>is <\/span>happening<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Do\u00a0<\/span>not wait until\u00a0<\/span>you\u00a0<\/span>have\u00a0<\/span>a failing grade<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Tip:\u00a0<\/span>Try\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>talk\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>your professor\u00a0<\/span>in\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>beginning\u00a0<\/span>half of\u00a0<\/span>the term or semester<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>That way, you still have time\u00a0<\/span>to make\u00a0<\/span>up\u00a0<\/span>work or do extra credit\u00a0<\/span>if they\u00a0<\/span>allow you\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>. <\/span>Let\u00a0<\/span>your professor\u00a0<\/span>know why you<\/span>\u2019ve\u00a0<\/span>missed a\u00a0<\/span>class<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Not all\u00a0<\/span>college classes take attendance, but\u00a0<\/span>some\u00a0<\/span>require\u00a0<\/span>you\u00a0<\/span>to be\u00a0<\/span>in class\u00a0<\/span>to get\u00a0<\/span>participation points<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>If\u00a0<\/span>you do miss\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>class because\u00a0<\/span>of your\u00a0<\/span>mental health,\u00a0<\/span>talk to your professor\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>explain that you\u00a0<\/span>were\u00a0<\/span>gone\u00a0<\/span>