How Fresno State is helping students combat the feeling of loneliness

FRESNO, California — Moving to university is always an exciting new chapter. It can also be filled with anxiety and sometimes it can be lonely.

“My roommate didn’t move in until the day before classes started,” said Madelynn Moreno, a third-year and psychology major at Fresno State. “I was there alone for a few days and then I was really lonely.”

Feelings Moreno faced when she moved into the Fresno State dorms as a freshman. To combat the feeling of loneliness, she went somewhere that comforted her.

“I needed something that felt some kind of familiarity,” Moreno said. “I went to Target. I walked around Target for a while and called my dad.”

Now, as a third-year psychology student, Moreno has found her community on campus.

Through the Peer Ambassador of Wellness program, or PAW, which helps promote the health and well-being of students on campus.

“It’s a great opportunity to connect students with resources they need for a variety of health reasons,” Moreno said. “We push events that we have.”

Fresno State staff says this year’s group of transferring and freshmen is one of their largest.
Etisha Wilbon, director of counseling and psychological services at Fresno State, tells Action News they are seeing an increase in the number of students experiencing loneliness.

“We also have to keep in mind that these are also the individuals who have experienced hybrid and school from home during COVID,” Wilbon said. “So a lot of them have problems socializing, which could really be a trigger for loneliness.”

That’s why Fresno State offers a variety of resources, from outreach programs to counseling.

“There are workshops, psychoeducation and processing groups, and a lot of them are about building community,” says Wilbon. “Talking about current events, talking about depression in a very candid way, because experiencing that can be a very lonely process.”

Both Moreno and Wilbon say loneliness doesn’t have to be a battle you fight alone.

“A million people have felt the same way you do, and a million people will feel the same way you do,” Moreno said. “Finding people to talk to about that is one of the best pieces of advice I can give.”

This story is part of the series “Our America: Mental State – The Loneliness Epidemic.” The partnership between ABC News and the ABC Owned Television Stations aims to share reporting on building social connections, with an emphasis on stories about children, caregivers, the workplace, the elections, the holidays and anyone who wants to learn how to care for children must take care of. themselves and others.

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