COVID-19 has impacted the world greatly, leading researchers to be interested in the virus’s relation to mental health among various settings. Repeated isolation due to quarantining and virtual school created a change in academic approach for students across college campuses and is thought to have negatively influenced their mental health, leading us to hypothesize that college students will have decreased levels of motivation and increased percentages of depression over an academic year. This study anonymously surveyed students from Lee University on their mental health over the course of their COVID-19-influenced college experience regarding their motivation, sleep patterns, and physical activity. Results showed that about half of the students felt their academic motivation was affected by the pandemic. Additionally, almost half of the students scored in the moderate to severe range of depression, with a weak correlation to the number of hours slept or the inclusion of physical activity daily. Participants also shared insights into whether they believed they looked after their mental health well during the school year, noting their attitudes and ways in which community and activity helped maintain a balanced mental health status. Findings conclude that although most students said that their academic year was not affected by COVID-19 in a drastic way on Lee University’s campus, students still agreed that their college experience and outlook on mental health was influenced by the pandemic positively and negatively. These outcomes can provide small universities a better understanding of student experiences during COVID-19 to proactively meet the needs of students moving forward.
