College Student Grief Awareness Day isn’t so much a holiday as it is a day that raises awareness about the struggles college students face every day of the year. This day supports the mental health of students who are grieving the death of a loved one or grieving the diagnosis of a terminal illness for a loved one.

This holiday is observed on the third Thursday in April and is currently observed on over 200 college campuses around the United States. This day is for all of us to support grieving college students and give them the emotional and mental support they need to make it through this difficult time.

The History of College Student Grief Awareness Day

This holiday began with the Actively Moving Forward Group (AMF) in 2004. This student group organized support groups for college students to help them cope with depression and grief. Over the years, this organization has helped thousands of students across the U.S. In 2015, they created College Student Grief Awareness Day.

Some Quick Facts About College Students & Grief

To highlight just how many college students are grieving at any given time and how that affects them, we thought we’d do some research on the subject so we can lay down some facts that people might find helpful. The following bulleted points are what we learned and think are pertinent to this conversation.

• Studies have shown that up to a third of undergraduate students may be dealing with grief at any given time.
• Grief can not only mean grieving the loss of a loved one but can also mean grieving for someone who has received a terminal medical diagnosis, or the end of a relationship.
• Students may also grieve due to a traumatic event.
• Research shows that a grieving student’s GPA will significantly drop during the year they experience the loss.
• For approximately 15% of grieving students, the prolonged process of grief can pose long-term psychological and physical health risks.

Observing College Student Grief Awareness Day

On this day, people can show support to college students, either directly or by supporting organizations that help these students. People can also spread the word about this holiday online by using the hashtag #CollegeStudentGriefAwarenessDay on social media. There are also special events organized by AMF and other organizations on this day, which can be found on many campuses across the U.S.