5 (big) problems Students live everyday

More and more solutions appear every day in the world of Education, in Higher Education. Nevertheless, the main actors in this universe, the students, are still victims of a number of problems. Some are social, others have to do with pedagogy, others are budgetary.

Here are 5 recurring issues in student life.

Stress

This is not new, the stress among students of Higher Education is felt by all and significantly. For example, 58% of French students who claim to experience regular stress peaks and sleep disorders, 80% in the United Kingdom.

The problem is that these numbers do not change, or go from bad to worse. The source of this disorder is structural, inherent in the system of Higher Education. In fact, according to a study, 94% of students in a stressful situation say that exams are the cause followed by studies and then their professional orientation.

So there is a problem here. Huge social pressure put on the shoulders of students in relation to career, employment, success in a great competition against others. The note is in the centre, learning well seen, but optional? This is changing and what is certain is that universities and schools will have to make profound changes.

According to a study conducted in March 2018 and relayed by Le Monde by the National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance, it is almost 88% of 15-24-year-olds who report lack of sleep. 38% sleep less than seven hours a night while they need at least eight. This is problematic and it has a lot of repercussions on health.

A problem that is also a repercussion of stress due to exams and grades and to social and academic pressure, but not that. The use of digital technology before sleep causes many students to experiment with nights that are too short, promote a regular sleep disorder and an absence in class.

Add to that the abuse of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and we are in a vicious circle. What to do to remedy this? Sport, less digital replaced by meditation, before sleep or in the day. Also, it would be very interesting for schools and universities to promote the practice of meditation during study days and especially during exam periods.

The benefits of meditation are multiple: well-being, balance, better health, increased concentration of concentration, control of emotions, self-understanding … Meditation is an art open to all!

Budget

Classic. We all knew “student shitty moments”. Often short of money, a lot of pressure, what to do?

The question of the budget, also called financial stress, is “a feeling of not having control over one’s financial situation, accompanied by discouragement, helplessness and distress,” as defined by the Université de Moncton. The problem is that this simple feeling is one of the causes of intense stress, bad sleep, loss of appetite and indirectly abandonment.

The feeling is known yet the situation is more and more alarming. According to the SMEREP (Mutualist Society of Students of the Paris Region), students live less well than five years ago and hygiene takes a hit especially because of … stress.

Real support for independent student support organizations must be provided to promote prevention and support for students in need; social and economic support.

Social link

We leave the structural problems for a problem, less, but equally impacting. Making friends is simple for some, rather complicated for others. Loneliness does have an impact on depression and academic success.

On the other hand, some social connections can be toxic. We are thinking here of the impact of fraternities and of certain abuses, notably hazing, of which some of their members and new members are victims.

This does not mean that student events are harmful, on the contrary, they are the lungs of student life. It is simply necessary to create an atmosphere of discovery and well-being among students.

The future

Which orientation? What professional future? Where to go? Can we change direction during his studies? Just as many questions that strongly tease our students. Well Named.

The immense pressure on the professional choice is insane, so much so that it ends up affecting the genres, the sex of the students. We lose outright any connection to learning.

Here’s the proof: in marketing, you will see more women, in engineering and finance, more men. Another point, the notes. Grades have become such a problem that learners prefer to head to a course where grades will be easier to get rather than a course that really interests them.

All this to promote maximum first job just after their studies. It is therefore extremely important to review these models and offer better orientations at university and from high school! Similarly, it is now urgent to stop the links between studies and genres.

And you? What do you think? Are there any other problems? What are the solutions to solve them? We start the debate!