The semester ends in two weeks. Finals season has already begun. Projects, papers and plans for the summer are already flooding my brain. I haven’t seen my best friends in weeks because we’ve all been so busy. I barely have time to study, let alone buy groceries or get off campus to clear my head. I have dishes in the sink, laundry to do and a pile of exams to study for. Everything feels impossibly busy.
I reflected on this for a moment as I sat outside for a class recently. My professor, who is a very upbeat and friendly person, had been asking us questions about whatever the topic at hand was. No one answered. While my classmates are all knowledgeable people, I think it was obvious that this was either a difficult question or everyone was just…not feeling it. My professor responded to the awkward silence with, “Wow, you all must be exhausted.” His tone wasn’t judgmental or rude in any way, but it made me think for a second. I mean, aren’t we all? With only a few weeks left, I can only imagine how stressed and busy everyone including professors must be.
I wrote an article on how to avoid burnout, but this one is just about telling it like it is. Yes, Professor. We’re exhausted. And you must be, too! I know it might seem like a bit of an imbalance when you consider the courseload of a full-time college student versus the handful of classes a single professor might teach, but it is only fair to think about how tired your instructors must be. An article from Inside Higher Ed explains that faculty members can get worn out by the same things, like meetings, presentations, and deadlines as their students. Especially since the start of the pandemic, stressors like juggling the work-life balance can be more difficult to deal with. I know that many of my professors have put on a good face for their students, but it must be a very delicate balance.
Kevin McClure, an associate professor at UNC Wilmington, expresses that the rise in faculty burnout is a major concern. Having to manage everything from childcare, work expectations and personal life has contributed to a significant increase in burnout. Many professors and higher-ed faculty are often juggling multiple classes with a variety of assignments, not to mention if they are department heads or hold other roles in a higher education setting. I know many of my current professors are department chairs, parents and researchers, and it must be difficult to find balance.
Colleges and universities are not perfect, which is to be expected, but it’s important they care for their faculty as well as the students. An article from Nature describes how universities owe it to their faculty to treat them well and understand their stresses and concerns. The author, Hilal Lashuel, a researcher himself, explains how finding the right kind of support system at work is a huge aspect of maintaining one’s mental health. He talks about his struggles with finding time to spend with his family or take time for self-care. Feelings of guilt and anxiety often influenced his interactions, which I am sure many other professors and researchers have felt. Lashuel describes the lack of clarity from universities on plans for faculty well-being, even citing the rarity of checking faculty satisfaction with mental health resources, most of which are relegated to the Human Resources department.
At the end of both articles, the authors express their hope at the changing mentality (no pun intended) about faculty mental health. Expanding mental health resources for people across college campuses means everyone, and I mean everyone, can find the help they need. Some colleges have created breathing room by extending grace for childcare and medical concerns, or offering work-from-home flexibility. Other things like trainings and mental health days might not be immediate fixes, but can foster a more welcoming work environment. Just keep in mind that we are all tired and you never know what could be happening in your professor’s space. Things are hectic and overwhelming for everyone, so take some time to remember that your professors need a little grace too.