“I just do not have more energy to deal with this!”: a chairperson's perspective on levels of stress among students and faculty engaged in coursework at a Midwestern University in the United States

Transitions for college age individuals can be very stressful and researchers have long called for more research. In this essay, we discuss findings from an introductory college classroom where we asked students to report on their mental health. Combined with information from the literature and personal experiences, we highlight greater concerns about student stress following the 2020 global pandemic. Here we combine our insight and professional expertise to suggest series of classroom based strategies that may help faculty in higher education to better understand and connect with their college students.