Post-quarantine academic burnout
If a student was asked to name a potential cause for the population’s declining performance in the classroom, a worldwide lockdown would likely be one of the first ideas to come to mind.
Obviously, this wouldn’t have been the case five years ago, but the drastic change in lifestyle was the first global, life altering event that today’s college students have had to navigate. Many were lucky enough to have teachers, professors and others in the education system working together to create a welcoming environment during the period of isolation.
But, now that class is back in session, many students feel that they are either behind or simply lacking the discipline and motivation it takes to transition away from online classes into the old “normal” setting.
There is always the “pick yourself up by your bootstraps” mantra which many of the older generations enjoy repeating, but that does not acknowledge why students have lost their desire to relentlessly pursue personal success in the classroom.
In fact, most would probably say that they are living with a more “survive the day” attitude. In the few interactions I’ve had with peers this week, there have been multiple statements implying that the future is more of a bleak afterthought than something that should be exciting and celebrated. Obviously, everyone is struggling with the aftermath of the pandemic, but it is saddening to think that we feel unprepared for the future.
In an ideal world, people would look at these issues and attempt to tackle them head-on rather than shut down. But if there is a lack of confidence in our community of learners, there is little hope for this type of group mindset to take off.
There is a flaw in an area of the current education system that renders students helpless in regards to their own and the planet’s future.
It’s time we begin teaching future generations how to solve real-world problems rather than having them memorize minor details that will serve little to no purpose throughout their lifetimes.
