Living in a time where a pandemic dictates every aspect of a person’s life has become a reality that cannot be escaped. College students continuously ride a roller coaster of “what happens next?” because at any moment they can get sick or have to quarantine due to exposure.

But there are people in Northwestern State University of Louisiana that can help bring awareness on what steps to take during this time of uncertainty.

The Health Services Clinic is located at 315 Caspari St. Their operational hours are Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Health Services offers testing for sexually transmitted infections, flu, COVID-19, pregnancy, urinary tract infection and blood sugar checks.

The director of Health Services, Jessica Nash, noted the impact the pandemic has taken on the flow of visits.

“We still have students with the same issues and concerns prior to COVID-19, so frequent testing and quarantine coordination has definitely increased the number of students we see and communicate with on a daily basis,” Nash said.

Nash feels the changes brought by the pandemic has allowed Health Services to be adaptive.

Along with certified nurses, Health Services has students working behind the front desk attending to students’ concerns or questions.

Monique Ardoin, a junior nursing major, describes her experience working at the clinic as solidifying her career aspirations as a nurse.

Ardoin does not go into the exam rooms, but she enjoys the interactions with visitors.

“It’s so great to see people come in a little stressed or down and leaving with a smile because they received such great help,” Ardoin said.

The assistance provided by Health Services is a great tool for on-campus residents to save money for over-the-counter medication that is given for free.

Every Thursday Health Services offer a free vaccine clinic for NSU students. They also encourage students to report positive COVID-19 cases to [email protected] with the following information:

“Name, Campus wide ID#, a good phone number, a copy of your positive result, on which NSU campus you attend class, if you live on or off campus and any groups, clubs or teams that you may be a part of,” Nash said.

Troy Hayes, a freshman majoring in computer information systems, appreciates the aid given to students.

“I think they do a good job at keeping us safe and they are very helpful with not only common ailments but most importantly COVID-19,” Hayes said.