5 Ways That Faculty Can Support Students’ Well-Being

study Nov 8, 2022

Our society is going through a series of changes that will reshape our views on education, healthcare, the workplace, and entertainment. But one of the most important shifts has to do with how we perceive mental health.

Nowadays, there is an open discussion around mental health and personal well-being. To bring our contribution, let’s see what the higher education system can do for young people’s development.

In today’s article, we are going to provide a few tips and ideas on how faculty members and organizations can help students’ well-being.

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College students need to learn social skills that will prepare them for adulthood. Regardless of their major, students need to be prepared for job interviews, business meetings, socialization with colleagues/superiors, and other scenarios.

Students learn these skills by interacting with other students and teachers, creating group projects, being active in academic clubs, and so on. That’s why so many people are worried about the effects of online learning during the disruption caused by the pandemic.

But all is not lost! The new generations of students are well-accustomed to online socialization, and most know how to gather a following. Plus, the fact that they know how to communicate during a virtual meeting or how to work remotely is a powerful advantage.

The workplace as we know it is going through a major change right now, and companies will soon adapt to the new reality. Therefore, teachers also need to change how they teach social skills by including the idea of remote socialization. Of course, students still need to know how to communicate face-to-face, but the online world is just as important.

#2: Create a Positive & Calming Educational Climate

All universities and higher-education facilities provide students with an environment suited for study. There are clean classrooms, areas for group projects, rest areas, and libraries (to name a few).

However, this doesn’t necessarily inspire students to be more motivated in their studies. Sure, most of them are aware that it is their responsibility to manage focus and time, but a more positive climate can also help.

For instance, professors can find exciting ways to make the classroom a more positive environment by restructuring the way they teach data-heavy lessons. Also, many people respond well to gamification elements, where they receive a reward for every milestone.

Also, it helps to create a routine specific to your class. Start the school year by presenting your routine and make sure all students find it comfortable. Also, leave room for negotiations when it comes to deadlines and assessments.

By creating a familiar and flexible environment, you encourage students to feel in their element in your class.

#3: Help Students Access Financial Support

Nowadays, student loan debt is the second-highest consumer debt category which is worrisome. And yet, students need access to financial resources to get the education they need for the career path they hope to build.

The good news is that there are solutions for low-rate, no-fee private student loans that cover all the costs needed for education. This way, the monthly student loan payments will be less of a burden, and students are free to choose the level of education they want.

Still, you need to do a bit of research and stay up to date with the latest developments in the field to find the best options. And here is where universities and faculty members can help by disseminating the information and making sure their students and candidates have access to the right data.

#4: Encourage Contact with the Real World

There are many companies who state that most students don’t come out of school prepared for the workforce. And this doesn’t happen only in highly competitive fields that require advanced technical knowledge and experience (like programming, data science, or cybersecurity).

However, considering the fact that most students don’t have direct contact with the field they’re studying, it’s rather easy to understand. Traditional learning models don’t support practical knowledge application in the real world, which creates a major disadvantage.

On the other hand, there are universities and organizations that practice work-integrated learning. In this model, students get out of the classroom and into the workforce via internships or part-time arrangements. This is possible because the university opened the door and encouraged them to step out of their comfort zone.

In doing so, students gain a better understanding of the workplace culture, develop their communication skills, and get industry insights that will prove priceless for the future.

#5: Mistakes Aren’t Bad [Valuable Lesson]

We are taught from a young age to associate mistakes with negative emotions. While this is not necessarily a bad lesson, we should also learn that there are nuances to it. Otherwise, there is the risk of creating entire generations that are risk-averse and fear making mistakes.

College students should feel safe making their own mistakes without being ridiculed or punished for them (of course, depending on the situation). They should learn to see mistakes as an opportunity for learning and improvement by analyzing what went wrong and why.

Plus, by trying different solutions and scenarios, students learn to identify their strengths and how to use them for a better outcome. Also, perseverance is an extremely valuable skill for both entrepreneurs and employees.

People who see failure as a lesson are more likely to be successful in life. That’s because they know that when things don’t go one way, there are lots of other ways to try.

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Wrap Up

Students need support from their family, the academic environment, and society in general before they can become accomplished adults. And this is nothing new. However, there are new factors we need to take into consideration, and their well-being and mental health should be at the top of the list.

This may require some changes in the approach of universities and other institutions of higher education. For instance, faculty members can pay more attention to the environment they create in the classrooms while encouraging students to explore the opportunities that come their way (even if they make mistakes).

Also, students need help accessing various forms of support, starting with the financial resources needed to enlist at the university of their choice and ending with easy access to real-world workplaces.