As the fall semester of college begins to close, students are understandably becoming overwhelmed with school work, work and quarantine. A professor that understands and sympathizes with their students can make or break a school year. Here are some things I’ve noticed that my professors practice that helps my mental health and relieves some stress. Regular check-ins, usually during the beginning of class, allow students to discuss what they’re struggling with or what worries them. This allows students to discuss things that have been troubling them and to relieve some of the stress that has been plaguing them during the week.
My professors have also been flexible with deadlines. Since the world has been plunged into a pandemic, a lot of things have changed. Thankfully my professors realize that losing all sense of freedom and safety because of a deadly disease can have troubling effects on someone’s productivity and mental health. Having professors that understand that it’s hard to meet deadlines and to be motivated to do homework is a lifesaver. However, if you’re struggling with schoolwork and deadlines, but your professor is less than sympathetic, try asking another professor from a different class to push back the deadline to save some time for your schoolwork with the not so understandable professor. This may not be ideal, and while I believe that all professors should be flexible during a pandemic, not everyone will be as understanding or sympathetic to your situation.
Some of my professors have also been flexible with the amount of time they allocate for tests. For example, at the beginning of the semester, after taking my first merchandising test, most of my peers in my class had some trouble finishing the test and asked for more time to take the test. My professor was more than willing to give everyone in the class more time to take the test, which resulted in more people finishing, which then brought up the class grade.
Even though the semester is shorter than usual, most professors have been flexible about students missing lectures. A couple of my professors have been accommodating to students who miss class due to work, mental health and classwork. However, professors could be doing more than just pushing back deadlines and checking on their student’s mental health. Professors should learn to communicate with their students more. Rather than sending out one email a week, it would be more helpful for professors to respond to their student’s inquiries.
Professors also have to realize that even though students are attending class online from the comfort of their bedroom, this doesn’t mean that assignments are now due during the weekends. Quarantine and schoolwork are already stressful enough during the week, and it would be nice to keep the week and the weekend separate. Just because students are spending more time at home does not mean they have more time for schoolwork.
Quarantine and COVID-19 have put students under enormous pressure. Professors need to realize that their students are not in a normal state of mind, and they need to be sympathetic to their students’ situations.