Many people consider college years as a time for extensive self-discovery, forming relationships that last a lifetime, and developing skills required for success in their careers. While many students will find their self-concept to improve, unfortunately, college does not prepare students for the more personal challenges of loneliness, stress, and emotional exhaustion that they will experience during this period of their lifetime. A student may be part of a support system, but he/she will still need to work through many of the emotional difficulties that emerge during their time at college while trying to meet the academic and social obligations of a college student.
Loneliness in a Crowded Place
Many students experience isolation and loneliness as part of their college experience at some point. It may feel like you’re completely by yourself, even when there are lots of people around you. It can be difficult to make friends as quickly and deeply as you’d like to; sometimes, it seems like nobody sees you or that you have no one with whom to share your thoughts. Chances are, the experience of trying to find your “tribe” in college has not been something that you’ve been properly prepared for.
Burnout and Emotional Exhaustion
Burnout is very common for many students due to their academic workload, job, sports, clubs, friends, and family obligations. The result is an emotional level of exhaustion when students can no longer take on additional stress. Students may feel that stress is an inevitable part of college life. What schools may not show students is how to take time to recharge without guilt and how to determine when to seek help for mental health issues.
Grief, Loss, and Life Still Happening
College does not give people a break from what we call “real life.” Many students encounter problems with their families, relationships, health, and even death while trying to be productive in their studies. There is not a lot of guidance on how to cope with death or loss while taking classes, studying for tests, or completing assignments. If you suffer emotionally, you may not receive an extra extension. Learning to balance emotional pain with studying can be extremely difficult.
Identity and Self-Worth
For a lot of students, college is where they explore their identities. Students’ grades, how they’re compared with others, and social media can cause them to easily link their value with their productivity and success; However, in many cases, students will learn to separate themselves from how well they are doing in their coursework emotionally after going through a tough time, rather than through their classes. Even though getting through this tough time can help students recognize that their worth as a person is not based on their GPA or achievements.
College can help students get prepared for their future jobs by providing classes against the backdrop of all the findings from both research studies and out of classroom experiences within their academic culture; however, the emotional challenges faced during the whole process (isolation, stress, pressure, burnout, loss, and finding meaning to one’s existence) are often the major contributors to personal growth, equal to education. Understanding this does not reflect a failure of colleges but shows that students need more real and open discussions regarding their experiences and support for their emotional wellness than they presently receive. Growing as an individual includes the development of a college degree but also involves developing skills needed for the future, such as resiliency, empathy for yourself and others, and self-awareness.