Are college freshman struggling more now than decades ago?

[Anonymous]

If so, why?

[Anonymous]

Those over the last few years are coming off of COVID, which certainly had impacts. Those should be diminishing, but kids did go through a few very nutty years, which affected everything from math and writing skills, to social connections, to independence more generally.

[Anonymous]

I think they are in general (social media leading to a wave of anxiety + covid fallout + high school pressure so much greater than us). But also we’re so connected that we know more. Most of us called home on Sundays when it was cheaper and that was it. Now they call or text daily. So we know every social struggle and class snafu.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I think so. Phones keep them attached to HS friends and provide an escape from the discomfort of making new in person connections.

I suspect they have less experience caring for themselves, because of more involved parents and the demands of high school now. And college is also really intense, everyone obsessed with getting internships. It’s different.

[Anonymous]

It’s possible the struggles were always there, just internalized in a way they’re not today. I had a pretty miserable first year, but I wouldn’t have dared talk about it to friends or family because I felt like I was supposed to be having the time of my life. So I drank heavily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think they are in general (social media leading to a wave of anxiety + covid fallout + high school pressure so much greater than us). But also we’re so connected that we know more. Most of us called home on Sundays when it was cheaper and that was it. Now they call or text daily. So we know every social struggle and class snafu.

All of this, plus a general (societal) increase in expectations and decline in resilience.

We've all become utopians. When life doesn't meet our (extraordinary and unrealistic) expectations, we struggle.

[Anonymous]

The book "How to raise an Adult" goes into some of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s possible the struggles were always there, just internalized in a way they’re not today. I had a pretty miserable first year, but I wouldn’t have dared talk about it to friends or family because I felt like I was supposed to be having the time of my life. So I drank heavily.

This resonates with me. I didn’t even know what mental health was when I was a depressed freshman. That wasn’t a concept I had.

[Anonymous]

I’m struck by how many nice, social kids I know don’t seem to be enjoying college. It seems to be “ok” but their feelings about it seem more subdued and mixed than what I recall. I feel like the freedom of college was a huge positive change for my generation but for this generation maybe the QoL is worse compared to home?

[Anonymous]

Kids at SEC schools like Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee aren't having the problems described in this thread. They're having fun, loving life, tailgating and watching great football. And the academics are much better than they get credit for. Something to think about as your kids, perhaps as your behest, stress themselves out in high school and make themselves miserable to get into an "elite" college where they'll just be even more stressed out and miserable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids at SEC schools like Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee aren't having the problems described in this thread. They're having fun, loving life, tailgating and watching great football. And the academics are much better than they get credit for. Something to think about as your kids, perhaps as your behest, stress themselves out in high school and make themselves miserable to get into an "elite" college where they'll just be even more stressed out and miserable.

The southern schools poster is relentless. It’s so lame. They are like a Trumper bringing it into every conversation. Their kid must have really wanted to go to an Ivy for them to be on every thread saying the same thing.

[Anonymous]

They haven't been taught resilience. They are raised by anxious parents so they themselves are anxious. Their parents have done everything for them so they are not self-reliant.

[Anonymous]

Less grit. Less resilience.

[Anonymous]

Helicopter parents were very rare for previous generations. So were participation trophies.

Kids went off to college with a cheery wave from the driveway, not an angst filled send-off and dorm decoration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Helicopter parents were very rare for previous generations. So were participation trophies.

Kids went off to college with a cheery wave from the driveway, not an angst filled send-off and dorm decoration.

Not sure who you are talking about, but my DC is a freshman at a VA state school, and after a tough transition first week couldn't be happier now 6 weeks in. Every one of their friends at VT, JMU, UVA, and a few SLACs seem well adjusted and happy with the exception of one that I know of. We'll see what grades look like at winter break.