Resilience through Recreation: How College Students’ Recreational Behavior at a Hispanic-serving Institution in New York City Mediated Negative Emotions after the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The well-being needs of college students have increased in recent years and were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among students of color living in urban environments such as New York City. This qualitative study explored how COVID-19 influenced recreational behavior of college students at a Hispanic-serving institution in New York City after the first year of the pandemic through the lens of the Social Determinants of Health. Findings indicated that participants experienced increased stress and anxiety due to the pandemic, barriers and influences on their recreational behavior, and how they experienced resilience through their recreational behavior. Higher education administrators could utilize these findings in providing an improved response to acute health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic through additional support and outreach services to their students.Keywords: Recreation, Social Determinants of Health, COVID-19, Student Affairs, Higher Education