We all came to college for different reasons. Maybe it was to become a veterinarian, or an engineer or to discover the path that’s right for us. While we all have different motivations for being at NC State, it’s safe to say all of us are connected by one goal — to gain knowledge.
Unfortunately, college classes don’t always allow us to cultivate the skills we need to do that. Because there is such a large emphasis on a well-rounded core curriculum, there is a lack of classes that aim to prepare students for life in general. Life skills are vastly important for learning how to be an adult, but they also serve to benefit something that is a hot topic issue right now — mental health.
All college students know how hard it is to adapt to the chaotic, intense world of college life. Not only do you have to tackle difficult course loads, but you also have to navigate the harsh realities of adulthood. Personal nutrition and wellness, money management, living on our own — these are all activities many of us are taking on by ourselves for the first time in our lives.
When not handled properly, these new responsibilities compound into a storm of stress that I’m sure we’re all too familiar with. In fact, one study from the American Addiction Centers found that almost 88% of college students reported being stressed from school life. Although exams were listed as the top culprit, financial and social issues followed closely behind.
Although being stressed every so often is nothing to worry about, long-term stress can lead to a number of negative health consequences. Some of these include high blood pressure, weight gain and mental health problems. Because college-related anxieties take such a toll on well-being, it’s vastly important that students are given opportunities to develop the tools necessary to prevent other stressors.
In all fairness, NC State does offer some classes that can help mitigate these problems. For instance, first-years are required to take introductory college success courses for their corresponding majors. In these one-credit hour classes, you learn about resources on campus, your major of interest and general tips to be successful. In addition to these classes, NC State requires students to take health and exercise courses as part of the General Education Program.
However, there are more areas of life that these courses don’t touch on. For example, there is no for-credit class at NC State that teaches you about cooking, insurance or car maintenance. In contrast, Boston University offers a multitude of life skills courses, which students can locate conveniently in one centralized hub. One such class, Intro to Adulting, covers the basics of adult life, such as financial planning, healthcare and apartment hunting.
Through addressing students’ practical needs, NC State will not only be able to provide a truly well-rounded education but also give students the courage to take life head-on. When students are taught how to live independently in a healthy way, they will gain better control of other aspects, such as their emotions. This will prove to only help students in the long run.
There’s no doubt that college work is stressful enough as it is, without the added pressures of adulthood. As NC State works to improve the state of mental health on campus, it’s high time the University considered life skill courses among their solutions. Maybe then students’ college experiences will not only be less stressful but more beneficial.
