Taking the stigma away from student apathy

Even the most studious among us have had to have had the thought of “Oh, this assignment? I’m just not going to do it.”

For some this is a calculated risk. Maybe the assignment or test isn’t worth all that much, or maybe skipping that class means you can catch up on something else. For others however, apathy can be a real problem and can lead to low grades, or worse.

For those who can’t help it, whether it be from anxiety or other issues, there is help. Almost every post-secondary campus has some form of counselling services.

Donald Martin, Manager of the Counselling and Coaching Service at the University of Ottawa, says lack of motivation is something he sees frequently.

“Almost 80% of the 2,000 or so students who requested counselling with us were struggling with motivation,” said Martin. The other four major factors for counselling are stress/anxiety, academic workload, depression and self-esteem.

Although going to see a service does have a negative social stigma, Martin says that it could help out in the long run.

“Students who seek help for this see improvement,” said Martin. “We measure an overall reduction in depression, anxiety and stress.”

He also says that students who seek counselling are more likely to graduate on time.

If you are struggling with mental health issues, whether it be a lack of motivation or anything else, Martin suggests seeking help.

“Counselling for ‘apathy towards academic’ would be highly recommended.”

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