Quietly quitting: a mental health story

Mel Rising Dawn Cordeiro

Managing Editor

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Over a third of U.S. college students are reportedly “quiet quitting” college in order to prioritize their mental health and are preferring a work-life balance over school. This is based on a survey of 1,000 college students aged 18 to 24.

“Quiet quitting” usually refers to employees not going above and beyond in the workplace. In a school setting, it refers to students only doing the bare minimum to get by in their classes. 1 in 5 students report having an unhealthy school/life balance and are of the mindset that “C’s get degrees.”

Prioritizing mental health is important, but doing the bare minimum to get by in class is not the way to do it. Quiet quitting only adds to burnout and is not a permanent solution to anything. Doing the bare minimum will get you a degree, so long as you pass your classes, however it may hurt your chances at a job in your work field of choice. There is the potential of missing vital skill development, as well as not developing the necessary critical thinking skills necessary for your major.

If you are not going to put your full energy and time into something, it is best to not start that endeavor at all. It is okay to take a break from school or work for any reason, but to not be fully present is detrimental to you, your coworkers and your teachers. Teachers and medical professionals specifically, as well as numerous other professions, have poor work-life balances. There are many ways that these professionals cope with their odd schedules.

It’s no surprise that the pandemic changed the way that we view our health in general, as well as the way that we view how we learn and work on a daily basis. Even when schools went remote, 64% of college students stated that they somewhat or strongly put less effort into their online classes than in-person classes.

There are many mediums to seek help if you feel that you need it. If you are a student, you can make use of the counseling center. Their services are free and they are available for all types of needs during normal business hours.