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While I was still scrambling to give my undergrads at-home tasks for the first weeks of lockdown, I knew they needed a break, so I gave them just one assignment:
Write ~500 words with your thoughts on what UConn can do to improve the mental health of its undergrad population.
Write ~500 words with your thoughts on what UConn can do to improve the mental health of its undergrad population.
So what have they observed?
"I have noticed that at our university students are tired and overworked, and they're just gasping for a break."
"I think in STEM there’s sometimes a weird type of competitiveness - like whoever slept the least is doing the most, or whatever."
"I have noticed that at our university students are tired and overworked, and they're just gasping for a break."
"I think in STEM there’s sometimes a weird type of competitiveness - like whoever slept the least is doing the most, or whatever."
"Exams should be about measuring your knowledge, not a speed race. Professors have literally compared exams to games. Students strategize how to answer questions with the most point density and whatnot. But sometimes this isn’t an accurate measurement of someone’s knowledge."
"Basically, I feel as if it is just assignment after assignment and non-stop studying to keep afloat in the program...it’s a surviving culture which just comes with taking everything one day at a time and moving from one thing to the next."
"...students need reassurance that the pain they are going through right now is for something and will end. Just give students a little bit more hope."
These weren't even the most powerful stories they shared (note: these are all pre-COVID experiences!)
These weren't even the most powerful stories they shared (note: these are all pre-COVID experiences!)
What do they think we should do? For starters, grading schemes need to change...
"Heaven forbid you would have a bad day during an exam worth 30% of your grade. And there’s little to no buffer room for mistakes and no way to make up ground from a bad exam..."
"Heaven forbid you would have a bad day during an exam worth 30% of your grade. And there’s little to no buffer room for mistakes and no way to make up ground from a bad exam..."
"...Try spreading out evaluations of knowledge in more smaller doses so that each one is a little less pressure and spread out points to other things such as homework or projects"
(Hey, @Kaeppelk could have written this!!)
(Hey, @Kaeppelk could have written this!!)
Mid-lecture breaks would also be nice!
"...this would definitely be beneficial during longer classes because your brain can only focus for a certain amount of time." Also "it allows students to have conversations to check on the well-being of their peers, as well as eat a snack"
"...this would definitely be beneficial during longer classes because your brain can only focus for a certain amount of time." Also "it allows students to have conversations to check on the well-being of their peers, as well as eat a snack"
Also, it's important to show students that you care...
"I’ve noticed in most of my classes that the professors just jump right into teaching, and they don’t even ask how everyone is doing or anything. It almost seems as if they don’t care, which I know is not true..."
"I’ve noticed in most of my classes that the professors just jump right into teaching, and they don’t even ask how everyone is doing or anything. It almost seems as if they don’t care, which I know is not true..."
"...I definitely think that along with adding a break into classes, these departments can just engage in conversations with their students for a few minutes outside of their lesson plan."
Sometimes it's as easy as sharing info...
"I think the School of Engineering can make more presentations about the student’s mental health and encourage students to join it or make some fun activity to help students relax, so they won’t feel too much pressure on the academics."
"I think the School of Engineering can make more presentations about the student’s mental health and encourage students to join it or make some fun activity to help students relax, so they won’t feel too much pressure on the academics."
"Create more awareness for the engineering activities so we can all get together and create new connections. Especially for underrepresented groups in engineering who would love to meet other people in their same situation." ( @StephanySantos_ @sfeldman990 !!!!!!)
"UConn offers so much career development stuff, but some students are unaware of it or how to reach those resources. Professors could easily for five minutes at the beginning of each semester just go over resources like the Q center, W center, CCD, etc. And that includes CMHS!!!"
"Sometimes students just need a reminder how to get help and also that it is okay to get help."
All of the quotes in this thread came from JUST FIVE STUDENTS. What could we change if we empowered more undergrads to share their ideas and stories about mental health?
All of the quotes in this thread came from JUST FIVE STUDENTS. What could we change if we empowered more undergrads to share their ideas and stories about mental health?
I don't want to paint a grim picture of UConn. It's a wonderful place that does a lot to take care of its undergraduate population! However, there's so much goes unsaid about mental health.
Recently, with COVID, we've seen how impactful a more human approach can be...
Recently, with COVID, we've seen how impactful a more human approach can be...
"The president and the faculties always send out the daily updates on everything and answer all the questions that we have on a virtual town hall which tells us that Uconn did care about their student mental health. The CBE department has also handled the transition very well..."
"...As an undergraduate researcher in the CBE department, I was very appreciative of how they worked through this emergency transition to all their students and workers. They let me feel safe and organized about how everything is going to be through the semester."
We're all thinking about how this pandemic is going to change us. I'm hopeful, in that I believe it will make us all a little more compassionate.
As long as we can turn that compassion into better course design and a better culture, we will all do amazingly in the long run. <3
As long as we can turn that compassion into better course design and a better culture, we will all do amazingly in the long run. <3
