A generation, coddled by “helicopter parents” and addicted to screen time on their phones, is navigating a stressful obstacle course of political correctness, a landscape of sexual ambiguity, and an atmosphere of moral relativism.
In many cases, students are told that their fundamental views, taught to them by their parents since birth, are not only factually incorrect but immoral.
Is it any wonder that rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide are on the rise?
Some colleges are doing their best to educate students on how to handle stress. Take Florida State University, for example: The school has mandated that all new students enroll in a program on how to cope with stress. Ironically, though, students can opt out if they’re too stressed out by the program.
Other institutions are following a different trend. Instead of teaching students how to cope with the difficulties of life, administrators are trying to shelter students from stressors by creating “safe spaces” on campus. These safe spaces can take form as a room of solitude on campus, but can be as elaborate as bean bag lounges with coloring books, therapy dogs, and full-time counselors prepared to discuss triggers such as tweets from President Trump or someone spotting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer near campus.
By expanding the definition of “safety” to include emotional comfort, colleges take on an ambiguous and undefinable threat. Anything and everything can upset someone, and there’s no way to shelter or comfort all people from all things.
Furthermore, protecting students from feeling uncomfortable takes away an important factor of undergraduate study. College used to be a place for reaching outside of one’s comfort zone. Creating a culture of safe spaces only weakens the individual by extending childhood into the formative, college years of a young adult. If university students don’t grow up when they leave the nest and go to college, will they ever?
Colleges should operate with the belief that sensitive topics are worth exploring, controversial subjects are best viewed with a critical lens, and intellectuals are not only capable but encouraged to explore new ideas. Without this mindset, academia is rather worthless for those looking to grow, and only of value to those looking to propagate the status quo.
