In search of student happiness

Studying is often associated with carefreeness. Many people, looking back, consider it the best time of their lives. Is this really the case?

Dr. hab. Dorota Włodarczyk: This question combines two time perspectives. The first is the present – how I see my life today, what is happening, and what lies ahead. The second is retrospective – after some time, I return to what happened in the past. And indeed, a lot of data indicates that when people recall earlier times, related to childhood or youth, their recollections are generally positive. However, if we talk about the present perspective, we know that the period of studying is primarily a time of new challenges, dynamic changes, and intensive intellectual and social development. We enter relationships, both friendly and romantic. During our studies, we also undergo intense personal development – after all, it is a time when the young adult’s identity crystallizes, along with increased independence and autonomy. We also have to adapt to academic requirements, which can be difficult. The material we need to learn might be complex. On top of that, we must organize and manage ourselves. No one holds our hand. There are specific rules and organizational frameworks to which one simply has to adapt, and this requires adaptive effort. There is also the social environment. Let’s be honest, at university, we are among the best of the best. Therefore, there is competition and pressure to perform. In addition, there is the fear of failure: “What will happen if I turn out to perform worse than others?” High parental and personal expectations may also play a role. Sometimes, a parent wants to fulfill their unachieved dream through their child. Moreover, people who achieve high results often have perfectionist traits, which makes them set very high standards for themselves. During studies, there are new challenges, and often old coping strategies that worked previously no longer suffice. Additionally, we have a new environment and new acquaintances, meaning access to support (from close friends or old acquaintances) is more difficult. In such situations, our well-being may be at risk. 

You mentioned well-being – an English term that we use increasingly often. What does it actually mean?

DW: Well-being is a central concept in the relatively new field of positive psychology. Many researchers deal with it, and each of them understands it slightly differently. Therefore, there are many definitions of well-being. Simply put, well-being is satisfaction and contentment with life as a whole and with its various aspects. A more detailed definition says that it is an optimal state of health, including the ability to function fully and actively in physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental dimensions. 

Does a student have any influence over their own well-being? 

DW: A lot depends on us and our attitude. Let me refer here to Martin Seligman, an American psychologist, who distinguishes five elements of well-being that we can shape. These are: positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievements. The English names of these components form the acronym PERMA, which makes them easier to remember. This is where students have room to act. Taking care of these five elements is essentially caring for well-being, with the caveat that what a student can do largely depends on the academic context and the personal context they bring to their studies. From both definitions, another truth emerges: this concept is multidimensional and difficult to define with a single number, even though that may seem tempting and superficially simple.

So, what exactly can we do to feel positive emotions and engagement?

DW: Seligman says, “Notice every positive aspect of your life.” Sometimes people feel that happiness is beyond their control, that the world brings happiness or misfortune. In reality, whether we have more or fewer positive emotions depends largely on us. Therefore, we should enjoy even small pleasures. Let us focus our attention on what we have, not only on what we lack or pursue. Appreciate and feel gratitude. Celebrate moments, and finally, do more of what brings us pleasure.

Regarding engagement, it is worth consciously participating in activities that are important to us and that fully absorb us. If a student achieves flow states, for example, being in classes that immerse them so much that they lose track of time, this indicates a very high level of their engagement. Then the results of their work are better, and learning comes more easily. 

Relationships are an important element of well-being. What kinds of relationships does a student need? 

DW: Caring for valuable, deep relationships with other people is particularly important today. After all, many young people believe that social media can be a very good substitute for real life. However, these are often superficial, almost illusory relationships. Research shows that texting or even phone conversations have a completely different effect on our psychophysiological state than face-to-face contact. This is especially true in stressful situations. When we talk to a close person face to face, when we are touched or hugged, less cortisol is released, and another hormone, oxytocin (called the bonding hormone), is released, which stimulates the pleasure of being with another person. Let us not forget that relationships, if not nurtured, disappear. We must take care of them. Moreover, if we do not “practice” contacting people, we lose this skill or never acquire it. A good example is young people who experienced the pandemic during high school. Isolated, they had no opportunities to learn how to build relationships. Today, we see that these individuals have significant deficits in emotional intelligence and communication. I hear that for many students, making a simple phone call is stressful; they have to prepare for it. Thus, relationships are very important, and for maintaining well-being, it is beneficial for them to be diverse. Susan Pinker, in her book titled “The Village Effect”, shows that we would benefit most from having the kind of relationships that once existed in rural communities, with multiple circles that created a support network. The closest circle consisted of personal relationships, then friends, then acquaintances. In addition, we need groups we belong to, which are stable, e.g., friends we play basketball with, a group we hike in the mountains with, etc. Being embedded in a support network is very important.

What else can a student do to strengthen their well-being?

DW: Two elements from Martin Seligman’s list remain: meaning and achievements. Perhaps not in the first year, but in subsequent years of study, students may start living on autopilot, without reflecting on whether what they are doing is really important to them at that moment. They engage in many absorbing activities out of habit. If these are not activities that are deeply meaningful for them, they only drain their resources. Then it is easy to enter the path of academic burnout. That is why self-reflection on whether what I am so intensely engaged in is truly important to me is crucial. If not, it is not worth burning out. Regarding achievements, the study period is a time of striving for them. But there is one important aspect – what we do with these successes. Do they “feed” us, do they build our internal strength and sense of efficacy and self-worth? It is very important that success is not just an external element, kind of like a trophy on a shelf, but builds us internally. If it does, we are more resilient to failures and setbacks. The idea is that the mental tools that support well-being should be well-established, they should function almost effortlessly and automatically, regardless of circumstances. 

Students entering medical studies are usually top performers, the best in their class, and here they may turn out to be average or even weak. For many, this results in a shock, or even trauma. I remember a student in his third year, who told me about an exam he failed in the first year. Two years later, he recounted it in a way that indicated post-traumatic stress symptoms. It had been the first academic failure in his life, and a dramatic experience for him. Therefore, a realistic perspective on one’s situation and sometimes the ability to let go are so important. Once the first year is survived, reflection grows that it is not points or grades that determine what kind of professional one will become. There are many other important elements, including personal competencies. Last year, the Study of Health Psychology launched a pilot edition of the “Happiness Training,” aimed at encouraging students to practice selected techniques to support well-being, including some of the ones discussed above.

And what signals might indicate that a student’s well-being has been disturbed or is at risk?

DW: This recognition can occur at three stages. The first one could be called: “It was positive, now it is starting to be less positive.” Positive emotions, satisfaction, and successes start to diminish. Sometimes self-esteem decreases, although it is not yet low or negative. But excessive optimism can also be a warning sign. Especially in the first year, we see individuals with enormous, excessive enthusiasm, for whom nothing seems difficult. This is a warning sign because such people are more prone to academic burnout. All these signals appearing at this early stage are quite subtle and easy to overlook. The next stage, which we can call “The demands posed by studies are beginning to exceed my abilities,” shows clearer symptoms. These are signs of stress, more precisely distress – stress that negatively affects us. Behavioral changes appear. We begin to avoid certain situations, withdraw from them, or argue more often with a partner; we may resort to using some substances, or engage in various escapes, such as overeating or excessively long sleep. More negative emotions appear. We increasingly feel anger, jealousy, or a sense of injustice. We wake up with an undefined anxiety about classes. Although such symptoms are already noticeable, they are not always easy to observe. Humans have many defense mechanisms, such as compensation or rationalization. For example, we quickly find another area where we are “still” good or start attributing “blame” for failures to “unfriendly people” or the “broken system.” This overstimulates our psyche, so that we feel better while simultaneously masking warning signs. Additional signals come from our minds. We have increasing difficulties with attention and memory, e.g., a student might read the same paragraph repeatedly and remember nothing. Moreover, our thought patterns change. We dwell on a failure and ruminate over it. We cannot free ourselves from it, leading to further states of worry and remaining in negative emotions. Body-related symptoms may also appear, such as problems falling asleep or waking up during the night, excessive sweating, shallow breathing, lack of appetite during the day, and overeating in the evening. At this stage, our resources begin to shrink, and we cope less effectively. This leads to the next level, where an emotional crisis may occur. 

What is an emotional crisis, and how can it be recognized?

DW: It is a moment of breakdown. Problems that were previously manageable become unsolvable for the person. The student loses the belief that they can change anything in this difficult situation. A characteristic feature here is tunnel thinking. Thinking narrows. One no longer sees the situation in a broader perspective. We focus only on what is unsolvable and lose access to our resources. An emotional crisis may have further negative consequences. It may also be accompanied by academic burnout, which can sometimes lead to dropping out of studies. A crisis also increases the risk of psychopathology, i.e., developing various adjustment, depressive, or anxiety disorders, where professional help will be necessary.

And how does academic burnout manifest itself? 

DW: In burnout, we observe three phenomena: feelings of exhaustion, cynicism (negativism, disregard for studies), and reduced academic efficacy. Fatigue accumulates, which cannot be alleviated by sleep or rest. Motivation is lacking to get up in the morning and attend classes or to complete even the simplest exercises and assignments. Burnout also causes increased irritability, which may result in attacking others and interpreting neutral behaviors as negative. Tension appears in the body, leading to headaches or muscle pain; we fall ill more often. Creativity, which could be brought to projects and class discussions, diminishes. We lose trust in our academic abilities. Important deadlines are missed. Concentrating during lectures and exercises becomes difficult. We become bored with studying. Bad habits increase, such as overeating, using psychoactive substances, going to bed too late, or biting nails. Feelings of anxiety or depression may accompany this. In cases of burnout, specialist help is also needed.

What systemic actions should universities take to create an environment conducive to mental well-being?

DW: The foundation is high-quality education, allowing students to study with passion and interest. Students come to the university to gain knowledge and skills at a high level. This must be ensured so that they do not lose their enthusiasm for studying. The educational offer is important: active teaching methods, access to new technologies such as simulations, visualizations, or interactive multimedia tools instead of traditional presentations, and access to world-renowned scientists bringing top-level knowledge. Among various teaching models, the most desirable would be a problem-based model. It focuses on solving problems, with a clinical case serving as a springboard to explore a topic. Meanwhile, at many universities, the theory-to-practice model prevails. Students begin with a lot of theory, sometimes not even knowing why they are learning it. Can this be changed? It is not that simple, because it would require changes to curricula, which are regulated ministerially. Anonymization and drop-out are also issues. Therefore, more universities are launching tutoring programs that allow more individualized teaching or activities aimed at smaller groups, such as thematic remedial courses designed to address the specific needs of selected students.

What else is important besides a good educational offer? 

DW: Equally important are the organization and conditions in which students study. This mainly means proper scheduling – so that a student, for example, has enough time to move from one campus building to another and eat a warm meal during the day without having to rush. It is also important to enable students to make up classes in case of their absence. We should remember obvious issues such as classroom temperature and how rooms are arranged, e.g., whether they allow for active learning methods, engaging in group work, and moving chairs for certain tasks. These seemingly secondary matters can be very burdensome for a student and contribute to exhaustion, and exhaustion prevents engagement. 

The study climate is also important for well-being. For students, it is extremely important how they are treated by academic teachers and other university staff. Openness, interest in students’ matters, and the ability to discover and develop potential are invaluable. I often hear that students have met or would like to meet a mentor who introduces them to the world of science. It is important to prevent anonymity, impersonal treatment, and feelings of alienation. 

The university should also support mutual relations among students. Sometimes, student life is limited to their seminar group, with practically no contact with students from other faculties. Similarly, contacts between Polish and international students are sporadic and practically non-existent. Meanwhile, in healthcare facilities (where most medical university graduates will work), teamwork is fundamental. How are future medical professionals supposed to know how to build a team if such exchanges were minimal or absent at university? Therefore, classes and other activities where students from different faculties and programs could gain joint experiences and get to know each other would be useful. And of course, places for integration between classes – meeting spaces, common activities, and relaxation zones. The more such places exist, where a student feels comfortable and meets friendly people, the more likely they are to say, “This is my university” instead of just “the university.”

Should universities provide specialized psychological support? 

DW: According to current recommendations, every public and private university should provide students with access to psychological help. Our university features the University Counseling Services, where some of the Study of Health Psychology team are also available to students. We focus on short-term interventions: each student who approaches us receives up to three free consultations with a psychologist. During this time, we recognize the problem and decide whether we can help within these three sessions or if longer-term work is needed. Sometimes long-term therapy and/or a psychiatric consultation is indicated. Then we coordinate other options, focusing on finding a place where help can be obtained and motivating the student to pursue therapy. 

What can lecturers do to support student well-being?

DW: Teachers are sometimes destructive and overly critical, highlighting weaknesses and focusing only on results. Harmful myths persist that criticism is the best motivator for learning and that students, especially in medical studies, must “go through the school of life” because only that prepares them for real life. 

Meanwhile, a lecturer can and should inspire students, infect them with passion, reward their effort, and appreciate that a student is trying, even if those attempts do not always succeed. Let us remember that universities reward excellence. If someone is just good, they usually remain unnoticed. It is easier to notice a student only when they are far above or far below average. It is important to ensure that students, in achieving their goals, do not incur excessive psychophysical costs or overstrain their mental resources. Unfortunately, I sometimes encounter students for whom the criticism received at university was very painful, especially if it was public criticism. That should never happen. A good practice is to give feedback individually. It is also good to “sandwich” critical feedback, incorporating the element the student should work on into their strengths. We should show students that they have their potentials and abilities. In addition, I would encourage simply praising and sharing positive feedback. I follow the principle: “If you have something positive to tell someone, tell them.” This can work very well with students. I remember a girl who seriously considered leaving her studies. One day, after class, she approached a lecturer to ask about a topic related to the classes. Using the opportunity, he gave her positive feedback, thanked her for her participation, and emphasized that her insights were valuable. That conversation made her stay at university. Just a few words, but they had a profound effect.  

Interview by Iwona Kołakowska
Photo by Tomasz Świętoniowski
Communication and Promotion Office