Brought to you by the Student Success & Completion Committee
The midterm point in the semester brings the all-too familiar signs: increased absences, bleary eyes in class, tears, and just a general subdued spirit. And as for the students… kidding! Well, you know….
We’re halfway through the semester, and while that can add a spring in faculty’s steps, it seems that “halfway” for students can feel downright herculean. It’s at this time when I see the previously stalwart students miss assignments and admit to waning motivation.
We all want students to intrinsically care about their studies, for the sake of their own growing knowledge, reaching their goals, and finding their own version of success. And it’d be great to be able to simply rest in that tower of erudition. However, at a community college, our task is to engage the variety of members of our community, and right now it seems many in our community are struggling with a malaise more profound than their homework assignments.
When I check in regarding an absence, I’m met with sometimes surprising sincerity and warmth to thank me for noticing and caring and reaching out, and it’s at this moment they tell me they’re struggling with motivation, depression, their medications, family, health, and more.
For these reasons, and too many more to list, I’m revisiting and adding to a list of events, workshops, and resources to recommend for students. And, yes, I for one am offering extra credit for attendance. Again, it’d be great if they were all internally driven, but I have to stop comparing my fully formed adult self with their ~18-year-old ones. If a few extra credit points can spur them to take action in their lives and in their schooling, that’s a low cost of admission for potential reward and an increased sense of belonging.
Some of the suggestions they seem especially interested in are Self-Care Fridays and Goal-Getter Wednesdays (both through the Counseling Department), the meditation space in the Center for Learning, and GCC’s 60th birthday campus event on 10/23.
And, once again, here’s a list of helpful resources:
