School and college life present a great list of demands and challenges for many students to cope with. Just imagine the trauma and learning disabilities to bullying and course selection, college life can be quite tough for students. And this is why we should not ignore the importance of student counselling. Yes, this counselling can really help in providing a safe and supportive environment for students. So, let’s discover how student counselling can make college life easier!
The Stress Level in College Students
As a student, you must prepare for a new college environment, right?
After all, you will encounter many opportunities, responsibilities, and life changes on top of academic responsibilities. Well, it can be sensory overload.
The fact is, going to college is a significant time of transition development with adulthood. Then, you must add to it everything that comes along with that transition. Eventually, with a mental health crisis, it is not easy to handle.
Speaking of Pakistan, as its future generation, students grow up in an uncertain and insecure environment. How?
Up ‘till today, about 70% of the population lives in rural areas. On the other hand, the trend of enrolment in higher education institutes has increased over the last 20 years. In fact, we can see about 10–15% of the eligible age group of 18–24 in universities or professional colleges.
During college life, there are some points that can make students feel stressed. We can mention the pressure to perform well in exams, for example. Or else, there is a demand for students to secure good grades if they want to get admission to prestigious universities. Without us realising it, all this has taken a toll on the mental health of students. Also, do not forget the fact that our education system is highly competitive. Hence, the importance of student counselling plays a role in helping students learn without feeling the burden of competition.
A Closer Look to the Importance of Student Counselling
Alright, now what is student counselling and what are the purposes of it?
Simply put, student counselling is all about providing guidance along with vocational training to students. One of the importance of counselling is to give personality insights to the students. By taking the counselling, students can accomplish their visions and missions easily.
The Purposes of Student Counselling in College Life
In brief, student counselling aims to help students recognise the factors contributing to their problems. At the same time, counselling also helps them to look for solutions through behavioural and psychological changes.
Look at the main purposes of student counselling below!
- Helping Students to Fulfil Lives
Yes, by taking counselling, students can live more fulfilling lives as they can address some problematic issues. For example, school counselors can suggest strategies and implement interventions if students have a problematic issue like a learning disability.
- Assisting Students to Cope with Challenges
During college life, students will face challenges. For instance, if a student has an issue with a particular teacher, the school counsellor will discuss it with the teacher as a mediator.
- Promoting a Positive College Life
According to a study, about 87% of the students who participated in counselling sessions felt more positive about their college life. Why?
Because a school counsellor is there to help students through difficult situations both inside and outside school.
How Does Student Counselling Impact College Life?
No doubt, student counselling programs aim to address essential areas, such as academic, career, and personal/social for students.
But what is the link between the importance of student counselling and college life? How does this counselling impact students’ life?
Here is how!
Supports Personalised Growth
Counsellors and teachers can encourage students to build strong personalities. How?
Well, student counselling helps students identify personality traits that need improvement.
Accordingly, personal development will build more confidence in students, which is the most important quality for personalised growth.
Helps to Make a List of Academic Objectives
As students, we must describe our long-term educational aspirations succinctly. This also means that we should develop a strategic plan for where we want to go in five and ten years. In this context, student counselling can help us to identify areas for development. This way, we can make a list of academic objectives for our future.
Overcomes Emotional and Mental Health Issues
Counselling is a form of therapy that helps people overcome emotional and mental health issues. In the context of students, it involves talking to a trained professional who can provide career guidance and support. Accordingly, student counselling helps students with coping strategies to manage difficult emotions and behaviours.
Strengthens Students’ Decision-Making Skills
With strong decision-making skills, students can evaluate specific outcomes and choose the best career option. Thanks to school counselling, students can better decide the appropriate path depending on their confidence and experience.
Helps in Building Positive Attitudes
Building positive attitudes is important to make students become confident. When students become confident with themselves, they will start sharing ideas. Moreover, students can also get involved in some co-curricular activities to be more socialised. Eventually, by taking part in activities and getting school counselling, students will learn from negative feedback. Plus, they can also improve their ideas.
Final Thoughts
No doubt, college life can be quite tough for students. Well, this is why we, at Hadaf Colleges, never ignore the importance of student counselling. We provide a student counselling service with trained and experienced counselling staff. With this facility, we aim to help students cope with the challenges in academic, personal, and social lives. In simple words, we will make college life to be easier for our students!
