If you’re thinking anything close to what I’m expecting, you’re probably wondering how heartless a person has to be to be against self care, especially for college students.
I’m against professors assigning paper upon paper and justifying it by reminding their students to relax.
I’m against professors assigning group projects and encouraging students to “take time for themselves.“
And, more than anything,
I’m against professors assigning last-minute, exam-crunch-time homework over the weekend and saying that we have “no excuses to get it done by next class.“
You don’t know my life and what I’m juggling.
The ironic thing is that us college students wouldn’t need to practice self care if it weren’t for all of the high expectations set by professors. Yes, we’re in college and studies are our first priority and WE KNOW THAT & WE’RE TRYING. What’s more important, my 10 page research paper in APA format discussing child care ethics or my job that pays for my living expenses? Or what about spending time with family or, God forbid, my mental health? When I’m loaded with assignments and encouraged to practice “self care,” which one do you think is more important? You would assume the latter, but the disappointment on my professor’s face when I only have half of my assignment done says otherwise.
So, I guess I’m against self care. I’m against the reasons for which it is even brought up and I’m against us students feeling guilty for wanting to take time out of our busy day of things to do when we feel like our own health is the last on the list.
Experiencing this now only encourages my future habits as a teacher–mental health IS a priority and it will NOT be overlooked or undermined. It is not more important than any assignment I could give and I am willing to listen to my students when they need a break and back off. I care that they are healthy, happy individuals and everything else, including academics, comes second.
My professors do not know nor care to figure out what students have on their plate and I refuse to be the same way. I will not make a student feel bad for prioritizing themselves because this is the way that it should be in the first place.