I Wish Someone Had Said This to Me

By: Christine Cahill

This essay is adapted from a longer essay published in the Journal for Research & Practice in College Teaching

When I was an undergraduate, I took a high-enrollment course with the following participation requirement: you could only receive an “A” if the professor knew your name by the end of the semester based on your contributions to the class discussions. No other categories of participation were specified. I loved this course. I spent hours each week at the library diligently taking notes on every required reading. I talked about what I was learning with my friends and family.  I aced every assignment and exam. But the thought of speaking in front of 75 people terrified me. 

I gave myself a pep talk every week: this was the week I would finally speak up. I wrote out a script of what I would contribute to the discussion. I rehearsed it while I was on the treadmill at the gym, on the bus to class, at the grocery store, etc. Every week I was determined that I would find a moment to raise my hand and offer a contribution. Many moments came and went, but I never spoke up. The professor did not know my name by the end of the semester, and I received a “C” in the course. 

My fear as a student in the class was twofold. First, I was nervous speaking in front of groups. But second, I often felt that I had nothing interesting to contribute and was often not confident enough in my comprehension of the material. My fear of speaking in class often led to my disengagement with my courses, peers, and my instructors.  

Twenty years later, I regularly teach courses with enrollments of 150+ students. My experience as an undergraduate significantly influenced my teaching philosophy. My first day of class always begins with a conversation that goes something like this: 

It is exciting to be at a large university with so many opportunities for involvement in campus organizations, cutting-edge research, activism for ideas you are passionate about, and career development. You are surrounded by people with different life experiences and belief systems than your own. What an incredible opportunity! I also want to tell you that at some point during your time here, you are inevitably going to feel like you are not enough. Perhaps you received an unexpected grade in a course, or you did not get the internship you dreamed about, or you have not yet found your people. Everyone talks about their successes, but no one talks about the hardships. I want you to know and remember that you belong here and that you have important things to contribute, even if it does not always feel that way. Your perspective and experience are important, and I am so glad you are here. 

I then share a few of my experiences as an undergraduate, graduate student, and a professor. We end the conversation by sharing campus resources, with a strong emphasis on student health and wellness services, particularly counseling services. I return to this conversation in the weeks before the midterm and the final exam. 

I wish someone had said this to me when I was a student. 

This conversation resonates with many students. A handful thank me after class or by email for discussing mental health resources in class. Many more share their appreciations for talking about personal challenges in their course evaluations. I think the biggest benefit, however, is that students facing hardship are more likely to reach out to me during the semester to advocate for accommodations rather than waiting until the last day of class. I hope that this resource-sharing discussion at the beginning of the semester promotes inclusion and engagement, and potentially lowers the stigma associated with seeking student health and wellness support and services. In this, I echo some of the words Reese McClelland shared a few weeks ago in this space, in which she talked about the need for faculty to include welcoming language when they discuss campus resources during “syllabus day.”

When I teach online courses, I designate one of the modules as a mental health day. Instead of just giving students the day off, though, I create an online discussion assignment with the following (shortened) prompt: 

Some of your classmates are going through really difficult times. Would you like to share something that has helped you cope with a difficult circumstance (either past or present)? Do you have any advice or encouraging words? 

The student responses to this discussion post are beautiful. The response rate is nearly 100%, the number of peer-to-peer posts is usually over triple what I normally receive in an online discussion forum, and the length of the responses are also longer than average. Students share excerpts from poems and books that helped them through difficult times, some share details of personal hardships and the resources and strategies (including campus counseling services) that helped them through their hard time, and other students respond to these posts with messages of support and encouragement. The peer-to-peer communication helps foster a strong sense of comradery and community amongst students, and I hope that these conversations help destigmatize the utilization of essential student services and support systems.