Mental health awareness among university students continues to receive increasing attention from various stakeholders, including students of Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY). As a contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, three 2024 students from the English Language Education Study Program recently organized an educational podcast titled "Mental Health and Students' Lifestyle."
The initiative was developed by Nailil Husna, Febrina Qhyla Putri, and Dinda Prajna Fadhilah with the aim of raising students' awareness of the importance of maintaining good mental health through a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Through the podcast, the team created a discussion platform that resonates with students' daily experiences while providing practical insights into the challenges commonly encountered during university life.
The podcast explored a range of issues relevant to student life, including academic pressure, time management, irregular sleeping habits, and everyday behaviors that may affect psychological well-being. These topics were selected because many students continue to experience academic stress without adopting healthy lifestyle habits or effective stress-management strategies.
To ensure the content reflected students' real experiences, the team conducted a survey involving UNY students from various faculties. The survey sought to identify stress levels, contributing factors, and lifestyle habits that influence students' mental health. The findings were then used to develop podcast content that was both relevant and evidence-based.
The program was carried out in collaboration with the UNY Guidance and Counseling Service Unit (ULBK), featuring peer counselor Tria Ayu Fatmawati as the guest speaker. During the podcast, Tria emphasized the importance of maintaining mental well-being through healthy lifestyle choices, effective stress management, and the courage to seek help when facing psychological challenges.
"If you need someone to talk to about your problems, don't hesitate to come to ULBK," Tria encouraged.
The podcast engaged dozens of UNY students as both survey respondents and audience members. By presenting expert insights in a format that closely reflects students' everyday experiences, the initiative is expected to enhance awareness of mental health as an essential component of overall well-being.
In addition to supporting SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), the program also contributes to SDG 4 (Quality Education) by providing relevant educational content that promotes a healthy and supportive learning environment. Although the team encountered several challenges, including coordinating schedules with the guest speaker, recruiting sufficient survey participants, and finding a suitable recording location, the program was successfully implemented.
Through this initiative, UNY students demonstrated that mental health awareness can be promoted creatively and effectively through digital media that resonates with younger generations.
As part of Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta's commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, similar initiatives are expected to be expanded in the future to reach a wider audience and make an even greater contribution to improving students' well-being and quality of life.
