communications

Persuasive Speech: Why College Students Need Mental Health Breaks

I. Attention

(Engaging opening story)

Imagine this: It’s 3 a.m. Your laptop is glowing, your eyes burn, and your heart feels like it’s racing even though you’re just sitting still. You’re on your fourth cup of coffee, trying to finish an assignment you can barely focus on. You aren’t lazy—you’re exhausted. And you tell yourself, “I don’t have time for a break.”

But what if the problem isn’t that we don’t have time for breaks… What if the real problem is that we don’t allow ourselves to take them?

Transition → Need

Now let’s talk about why this problem matters.

II. Need (Problem)

College students are facing a mental health crisis—one that is worsened significantly by not taking regular mental health breaks.

According to the American College Health Association (ACHA, 2023), over 77% of college students report moderate to serious psychological distress, and nearly half say stress negatively affects their academic performance.

A report by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI, 2024) found that students who do not take breaks experience higher levels of anxiety, emotional exhaustion, and decreased concentration.

And this has real consequences. A study from the Journal of Adolescent Health found that chronic academic stress increases the risk of depression and burnout, which can lead to students dropping out.

So, the need is clear: College students are overworked, overwhelmed, and running on mental fumes.

Transition → Satisfaction

So, what can we do about it?

III. Satisfaction (The Solution)

The solution is simple, practical, and necessary:

College students should take regular, intentional mental health breaks—daily, weekly, and throughout the semester.

This does not mean skipping class or avoiding responsibilities. It means giving your brain recovery time so you can do better work.

Here’s what mental health breaks can look like:

· Short daily breaks: 10–15 minutes of walking, stretching, breathing, or unplugging

· Weekly recharge time: one afternoon off from schoolwork

· Academic mental health days: taking a day to rest and reset when stress becomes overwhelming

The Mayo Clinic reports that short breaks throughout the day improve focus, productivity, and emotional well-being. And according to the American Psychological Association (APA), taking mental health days can prevent burnout and improve long-term academic performance.

Some colleges are already taking action. A Harvard University study found that students who took structured breaks performed better on exams and reported lower stress levels.

If it works for them, it can work for all of us.

Transition → Visualization

But what would this actually look like in our lives?

IV. Visualization

Picture two versions of your semester.

Version 1: You don’t take breaks. Weeks blur together. You’re constantly tired. Your grades slip, you’re irritable, and you feel like you’re drowning. Even when you try to study, your mind won’t focus. Stress builds until you eventually burn out.

Version 2: You allow yourself mental health breaks. You step away from assignments before you hit your limit. You reset your mind, regulate your emotions, and return with clarity and energy. Deadlines feel manageable. Your focus improves. You feel healthier, calmer, and more in control of your college experience.

Which version of yourself would you rather be?

Taking mental health breaks doesn’t weaken students—it strengthens them.

Transition → Action

Now here’s what I want you to do.

V. Action

1. Schedule one 10-minute break every day—no phone, no assignments, just breathing and resetting.

2. Choose one “no-study window” per week where you step away from all schoolwork.

3. Take one mental health day per semester to rest before stress becomes burnout.

Taking breaks is not being lazy. It’s being responsible. It’s being healthy. It’s being human.

You deserve a college experience that doesn’t drain you—but supports you.

So let’s start today. Let’s normalize mental health breaks. Because when students take care of their minds, everything else—grades, motivation, and happiness—gets better.

Thank you.

American College Health Association (2023) – National College Health Assessment

National Alliance on Mental Illness (2024) – Mental Health on Campus Report

Journal of Adolescent Health – Study on academic stress and depression

Mayo Clinic – Research on benefits of short breaks

American Psychological Association – Guidelines on burnout prevention

Harvard University – Study on structured student break periods

Assignment 1 (Speech) I have attached a copy of the first speech worksheet to aid you in doing these assignments. There are 3 assignments for this.

Speech Analysis Assignment: Learning by Watching #2 (I attached all documents separately with this.

Purpose

Building on what you learned in your first speech analysis, this assignment gives you another opportunity to strengthen your public speaking skills by observing a different speaker. You will watch a recorded speech from a previous student while following along with the speaker’s outline. This second analysis is designed to help you more critically evaluate how an outline functions in real time and how organizational choices and delivery techniques work together, insights you should begin applying as you prepare and refine your own persuasive speech.

Instructions

1. Review the Materials

· Watch the speech video provided here  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShLeWE3KfS0Links to an external site.

· Open the speaker’s outline before you begin watching so you can follow along. Monroes Motivated Sequence Outline Student Example .docx Download Monroes Motivated Sequence Outline Student Example .docx

2. Watch with a Purpose

·

· Watch the speech once all the way through.

· On your second viewing, follow along with the outline and note how the speaker moves from the introduction to each main point and into the conclusion.

3.  Analyze More Critically

As you watch, focus on:

· How the speaker establishes a clear persuasive purpose

· Whether the organization supports the speaker’s argument

· How effectively transitions guide the audience

· How delivery choices (eye contact, tone, pacing, emphasis) reinforce or weaken persuasion

· Which techniques you could realistically apply to your own persuasive speech

4. Written Analysis (1 Page)

Write a  one-page analysis that addresses:

· A brief summary of the speech topic and persuasive goal

· How the outline helped you understand the speaker’s organizational strategy

· Specific examples of effective or ineffective organization or transitions

· One strength related to persuasion or delivery

· One area for improvement

· At least one specific strategy you plan to use or avoid in your own persuasive speech.

Assignment 2 (200 words)with the topic being: My persuasive speech topic is that colleges should require mental health education and depression awareness programs for all first-year students. This is a specific, debatable topic because it centers on one solution to depression in college students, rather than on mental health as a whole.

This week, you're putting the finishing touches on your persuasive speech. The goal of this discussion board is to give and receive helpful feedback as you finalize your outline and prepare for delivery.

Instructions:

1. Post via text or submit a video/audio of a section of Your Speech Choose one section of your speech that you’re still developing or unsure about. This could be:

· Your attention-getter

· The emotional appeal in your Visualization step

· A transition between main points

· Your final call-to-action

· Or another part that you’d like help polishing

2. Ask a Specific Question After posting your section, include a clear question for your classmates to answer. For example:

· “Does this opening make you want to listen?”

· “Is this emotional appeal strong enough?”

· “Does this transition feel natural?”

· “Is my call-to-action compelling?”

Assignment 3

Week 3: Speech Draft and Practice Reflection Worksheet

Welcome to Week 3! 

This week, you will submit a  complete draft of your persuasive speech outline, including all parts of Monroe’s Motivated Sequence and a properly formatted APA works cited page. Please upload your outline as a document in the assignment upload area.

In addition, you will complete the  Practice Delivery Reflection portion of the worksheet. After practicing your speech aloud at least once, respond thoughtfully to the reflection questions about timing, clarity, transitions, emotional tone, and delivery challenges.

Both parts of this assignment are due  Sunday by 11:59 PM. Late submissions after the due date until Wednesday will be subject to a 10% deduction per day.

Please reach out if you have any questions or need assistance.

Download the worksheet here:  SPEE 200- Speech Draft & Practice Reflection Worksheet.docx Download SPEE 200- Speech Draft & Practice Reflection Worksheet.docx ( I have attached the above link in a separate document)

View an example of my speaking outline here:  Professor Hawkins Speaking Outline Example.pdf Download Professor Hawkins Speaking Outline Example.pdf