Last semester was rough.
It goes without saying that the sum of all of the events that accumulated since the clock struck twelve on Jan. 1, 2020 made for a bad year, and an even worse semester.
There’s no need to reiterate what happened last year, but in case you need a refresher, look around. Despite what many people think, we’re still in the middle of a pandemic with no foreseeable end. The inauguration of a new president has never managed to ease racial tensions, and the daily stressors of life, of being an adult and a college student, are still happening.
Needless to say, we are all burnt out.
A long semester with no break, during which the world continued to live through historical event after historical event, does not make for a productive student, or faculty member.
Going back to school after a summer of being in quarantine seemed like dream, something to preoccupy the mind.
Now, attempting to be productive after almost a year of pushing through despite all the terrible things that were happening leaves the nerves fraught.
So, teacher-to-student, student-to-teacher: please, go easy on each other.
We’re all in the same boat.
All we need from the other is a bit of understanding.
From student to teacher, that comes in the form of acknowledging that professors are also burnt out.
Despite this, they are still trying to come up with suitable lesson plans, trying their best to teach through this weird format, and comply with what the University expects of them.
The professors at Auburn want their students to succeed, so open the lines of communication. They don’t know what you need from them unless you tell them.
From teacher to students, this also comes in the form of acknowledging that students are overwhelmed, overstimulated and overworked.
Students have several classes to focus on, jobs and whatever social life they are able to have at the moment — if any. In any other semester, all of those things would be manageable, a non-issue.
Even if the effects of the pandemic and a tumultuous year aren’t visible, they are still there. We can still be touched by the things that are happening around us and find it hard to have any motivation in a world that, at the moment, looks bleak. We’ve been pushing through it for almost a year. Forgive us, if our feet are beginning to drag.
This, though, goes both ways. It’s also important for students to remember that teachers aren’t trying to add on to your stress, they are doing what they can to make your education worthwhile, in the best way they can.
The boat is sinking, slowly filling up with water at our feet. The only thing we can do now, is grab on to each other and help keep the other afloat.
Last semester was rough.
Let’s do the best we can for each other to make this semester a little smoother.
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