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A Love Letter to Psychology Students
Psychology students are awesome and we don’t say it enough.
Posted January 10, 2023 Reviewed by Ekua Hagan
I can talk about teaching issues until I’m blue in the face. I’ve taught for so long it’s inevitable. Hey, I’ve even been physically attacked by a football player for not changing his grade. But it’s time to put that aside and focus on the good. This is a love letter to psychology students.
Against every ounce of intention, my students have watched me deal with major health issues caused by major health insurance issues, trauma, and loss, all while trying to pretend it isn’t happening and focus on them. They’ve seen me doubled over in pain. They’ve had classes canceled due to emergency hospitalizations. They’ve watched me bleed through my clothing after emergency surgery. They have to wear masks because of my health vulnerability. You name it.
They’ve said some of the most genuinely supportive comments I’ve ever received. They’re a big reason I have found it in me, whatever “it” is, to keep going during these times. I wish I could tell them that more.
What they don’t know is that I’m watching them, too. And not in a creepy way.
I read their assignments. I answer their questions. I watch them in class. We spend a lot of time together.
They’re struggling.
And they’re strong.
Today’s students are going through a lot. Not only have they worked their way through the entire face of education changing during a pandemic, but, amazingly, they’re still going in an educational system mired in an economy that is increasingly impossible to survive. Here are some things I’ve noticed, particularly about psychology students:
They Care
It’s cliché, I know, but psychology students care. Sure, some take psychology courses because they think they’ll be a breeze (which they quickly find out isn’t true...sorry), but for the most part, they come to the discipline because they care about a loved one who is struggling with mental health issues, they want to help others improve mental health and any number of additional altruistic motives.
We’ve done a lot of work studying how psychology is framed as a “caring profession,” and, therefore, how women, especially, have been directed to it. At the same time, almost every single student I have had over the years, even if they have no idea what to expect out of a psychology class, has expressed care and concern about others, regardless of demographics. They engage with the topics because they care about them, they care about people’s behavior and its impact, and they care about the well-being of all.
Fifteen years ago, I had to do a lot more classroom management around openly hateful, violent, and discriminatory statements. I rarely have to do that anymore. I’m out of practice, and that’s good.
They Have Courage
Students are struggling. So many of them cannot afford life, let alone an education. And we know that economic reality is only getting worse. But they keep going.
And none of them have signed up for a psychology career for the money. Obviously.
Many students tell me they’ve chosen to study psychology because they’re struggling with stress, trauma, mental health issues, and the like; or because someone they know and love is. Psychology is, perhaps, the subject in which teachers will deal with the most “personal issues” of students. It’s more likely because students are more likely to connect with the material personally.
I have students with ACE scores of 9 and 10. I have students who live in their cars. I have students who work 3 jobs. I have students who fall asleep in class. I have students who find it difficult to get out of bed. I have a range of students who struggle with a range of issues.
And they keep going. They show up. They ask questions. They do the work.
That takes courage.
They Are Strong
So many college students in the U.S. have faced endless barriers, discrimination, and then some, on their educational journeys. Psychology students are no exception and many, I find, chose psychology because of that experience. They want to both understand it, ameliorate its effects, and prevent it from happening to others.
Everyone who experiences these barriers to education is strong. Everyone.
Psychology students share these strengths in their assignments, in class, and in the world. In choosing psychology, they contribute their strengths to ensuring the health and well-being of all.
They Are Inspiring
I was really shocked last semester by how many students told me I am an inspiration. And, trust me, that's not a humble brag. Keep reading. Some said it was because of my fight for health care, others said it was because of my history working to prevent sexual and domestic violence, and others pointed to my educational history. Whatever the reason, I wanted to shout back, “No, you’re the inspiration!”
Too many students, at an increasing rate, express feeling like they’ve gone wrong in life. They’ve fallen behind. They aren’t successful.
They compare themselves to their professors.
We should compare ourselves to our students.
The curiosity, the compassion, the inquisitiveness, the courage…my students inspire me every day. And they need to know that.
A Love Letter
So this is my love letter to psychology students in particular, but allow me to add my public administration and social work students, too. I can’t leave them out.
These students aren’t just the leaders of tomorrow; they are the leaders of today.
So next time I am dealing with an issue, next time I want to say, “Read the syllabus!” I’m going to take a step back and honor each and every student for their strengths, for their courage, and for the fact that they are here, today.
Thank you, students, for giving me a reason to show up for you and with you. It’s a privilege to teach you.
