LEHMAN COLLEGE— As mental health challenges continue to rise in the Bronx, college students across the borough say the pressure of working full-time, supporting their families, and keeping up with classes is pushing many to seek counseling or step away from school entirely.
Karen Salazar, a 29-year-old Bronx college student and mother of two, said she paused her studies before her final semester after developing anxiety.
“I was working full time, taking classes, and taking care of my daughters,” Salazar said. “I felt like I was constantly behind. I couldn’t sleep. It just built up.” For Salazar, rising rent, grocery bills, and transportation costs made it harder to focus on school. “You want to finish,” she said. “But when you’re stressed about money all the time, it affects everything.”
