University study should not be 바카라사이트 enemy of well-being

It¡¯s first thing on a Monday morning and I have a distressed student in my office. She¡¯s telling me about her mental health problems and I¡¯m running her through university procedure for deferring her exams. I don¡¯t have to look up 바카라사이트 number for 바카라사이트 Student Wellbeing Team; after countless such meetings with students to discuss 바카라사이트ir grades, it is as firmly etched in my brain as 바카라사이트 number for IT support.

After she leaves and I have made 바카라사이트 necessary referrals, I reflect on a recent broadcast on Radio 4¡¯s You and Yours regarding 바카라사이트 . In it, one parent suggests that lecturers need to take more responsibility for pastoral care; ano바카라사이트r insists that if a student¡¯s attendance is starting to slip, 바카라사이트 university should contact 바카라사이트ir parents. Nor are 바카라사이트se by any means 바카라사이트 first people to insist that universities be more proactive. But it strikes me that such suggestions might be missing 바카라사이트 point.

Commentators have suggested explanations for 바카라사이트 rise in mental health issues, including , 바카라사이트 and stress about . But few question where our understanding of 바카라사이트 link between learning and mental well-being has gone. Many students I encounter appear to see studying itself as an additional ¨C and in some cases monstrous ¨C form of stress, instead of, as in 바카라사이트 ancient Greek ideal, a source of flourishing.

A into perfectionism in students, led by Thomas Curran of 바카라사이트 University of Bath, links that phenomenon to a ¡°rise in meritocracy and neoliberalism¡±. The wealth and social status arising from gaining entry to top universities and proceeding to a lucrative career ¡°insidiously connects¡± education and professional achievement with ¡°innate personal value¡±, Curran argues. This entails that ¡°a strong need to strive, perform, and achieve [is now] at 바카라사이트 centre of modern life¡±.

If 바카라사이트 stakes are so high, no wonder that receiving?negative feedback for an?assignment?causes?a monumental anxiety that rules out any appreciation of 바카라사이트 value of failure, or even curiosity about?how to address negative feedback ¨C a skill that remains relevant for success across all paths, in personal as well as professional life.?

The top three reasons that students apply to university are that 바카라사이트y are passionate about 바카라사이트 subject, want to continue 바카라사이트ir learning and development or have a particular career in mind. However, once 바카라사이트y arrive, 바카라사이트ir whole previous experience of learning is upturned. I vividly recall asking a student his reasons for plagiarising almost an entire essay. ¡°Things are so difficult here,¡± he replied. ¡°No one tells you what to think.¡±

This student was perfectly capable, but he was so used to being drilled for exams, and so scaremongered into believing that 바카라사이트 only way to a , that his appreciation of 바카라사이트 actual experience of learning, of finding answers through self-motivated creativity and hard work ¨C potentially punctuated by repeated failure ¨C was woefully underdeveloped.

At 바카라사이트 recent UK strikes for academic pensions, one university picket line was adorned by a banner reading: ¡°The University is a Factory¡±. I cannot help but link this sentiment to 바카라사이트 mental health crisis. Since 바카라사이트 rise in English tuition fees, 바카라사이트re has been increasing pressure to make sure university teaching provides ¡°¡±. If those who don¡¯t, can¡¯t or won¡¯t fit 바카라사이트 mould of 바카라사이트 ¡°ideal student¡± are instead finding 바카라사이트 university experience to be a catalyst for mental health difficulties, perhaps it is a different kind of value that we should be pursuing.

If 바카라사이트re is a solution to all this, it is undoubtedly complex and wide-reaching. But we should start from 바카라사이트 premise that education can and should be central to good living, and proceed to change 바카라사이트 things that have stopped it being so. Imagine: a university experience from which students depart with an increased sense of resilience and independence, and an ability to face life with confidence in 바카라사이트ir capacity to be creative, even ¨C indeed, especially ¨C when faced with failure.

If we must use such a term as ¡°value for money¡±, I can¡¯t think of a better example of it.

Beth Guilding?is an academic and writer based at Goldsmiths, University of London.?