College Students and Grief: The Unfinished Business

Grief is a heavy burden for many college students. Losing someone close can shake up their world. This study looked at how unfinished feelings and keeping bonds with the deceased affect grief over time. Researchers followed students who had lost someone in the last three years. They checked in with them three times over nine months. The students filled out surveys about their grief, unfinished feelings, and how they kept connections with the person they lost. Unfinished feelings, like things left unsaid or undone, made grief worse. But interestingly, how students kept their bonds mattered too. Some students held onto memories and feelings inside, which helped them cope. Others expressed their bonds outwardly, which seemed to make grief harder. The study found that unfinished feelings led to more grief. But when students could hold onto internal memories, it helped them heal. However, external expressions of grief didn't seem to help as much. This shows that dealing with unfinished feelings is key for students grieving a loss. Counselors might want to focus on helping students find inner peace with their memories. This could help them move forward with their lives.