avatar
Sean Mullen, Ph.D. @drseanmullen.bsky.social

🧵 A Pattern I Can’t Ignore Anymore. For the past three years, I’ve seen the same scenario play out—over and over, and it’s only getting worse.

may 6, 2025, 1:58 pm • 40 10

Replies

avatar
L. Juniebird @juniebird.bsky.social

📌 thank you!

may 6, 2025, 5:26 pm • 0 0 • view
avatar
Sean Mullen, Ph.D. @drseanmullen.bsky.social

A student starts missing assignments. I send a check-in. I offer flexibility, a meeting, support. Weeks go by. They resurface—apologetic, citing health or mental health issues. I respond with compassion. I extend deadlines. I make a plan.

may 6, 2025, 1:58 pm • 23 0 • view
avatar
Sean Mullen, Ph.D. @drseanmullen.bsky.social

They thank me… And then… they vanish. Or miss more. Or book a meeting t hey never attend. Maybe they try one more time. Maybe they don’t. And then they’re gone.

may 6, 2025, 1:58 pm • 23 0 • view
avatar
Sean Mullen, Ph.D. @drseanmullen.bsky.social

This isn’t laziness. It’s not entitlement. It’s something bigger. Something systemic. Call it burnout. Call it a mass disabling event. Call it post-viral sequelae. But *don’t* call it normal. If this isn’t the aftermath of COVID, I don’t know what is.

may 6, 2025, 1:58 pm • 46 2 • view
avatar
Sean Mullen, Ph.D. @drseanmullen.bsky.social

I know this pattern is playing out not just in higher ed, but in healthcare, K-12 schools, the workplace. If you’ve seen it too—in your field, your family, your life—I’d love to hear from you.

may 6, 2025, 1:58 pm • 32 1 • view
avatar
Smokey @rennyfella.bsky.social

I feel this. I'm in my last week of undergrad (late bloomer, 37 years old). I don't think what I have is "senioritis". It's hard to function with all the chaos happening constantly. This entire semester I feel like I've had to hold a gun to my head to study and get my school work done. 1/...

may 6, 2025, 2:12 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
Smokey @rennyfella.bsky.social

It's been brutal. I served in the military and I have a high tolerance for pain, all kinds. I'm able to push myself through, but just barely. I understand my situation/personal make-up are different than most, so I'm sure that younger people who haven't experienced a lot of trouble yet...

may 6, 2025, 2:14 pm • 2 0 • view
avatar
Smokey @rennyfella.bsky.social

Aren't anywhere near as prepared. The daily onslaught of insanity from the regime is what I attribute this to mostly. I understand economics, foreign policy, etc. What we are about to go through is going to suck. It's unnecessary. And it's embarrassing.

may 6, 2025, 2:15 pm • 0 0 • view
avatar
Sean Mullen, Ph.D. @drseanmullen.bsky.social

Because we can’t fix what we keep pretending is just an individual failing.

may 6, 2025, 1:58 pm • 32 0 • view
avatar
theninemuses.bsky.social @theninemuses.bsky.social

Yes. I've seen exactly this scenario unfold. It's heartbreaking.

may 7, 2025, 1:00 am • 1 0 • view
avatar
Jennifer Fernandez @jennyfern18.bsky.social

I have seen it in elementary. But for those students it has a lot to do with economic factors. Parents not having child care, moving, being unhoused, domestic violence, having an ill parent.. it’s sad to see.😢💔

may 7, 2025, 2:41 pm • 0 0 • view
avatar
calicoday.bsky.social @calicoday.bsky.social

Been living this pattern for decades. Severe (STILL not properly diagnosed) health issues, poverty, no social safety net (extremely hard to make close friends as an adult, much less if you can't show up regularly for events or stay at a job; worse as ppl get older, have more money, start families).

may 6, 2025, 2:52 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
Kara Jorgensen @authorkaraj.bsky.social

I have had this as well with my college freshmen. And it's especially weird since they never withdraw from the class. Before covid, the students doing poorly in the class usually dropped it, but now, they power on and continually struggle to catch up and either send 100 things at once or disappear.

may 6, 2025, 2:00 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
Sean Mullen, Ph.D. @drseanmullen.bsky.social

I’m getting more students “powering on” too. Perhaps they believe this is just how things are now, so they can’t simply drop all of their classes. And maybe upperclassmen are just trying to make it out & graduate, regardless of their grades.

may 6, 2025, 2:46 pm • 2 0 • view
avatar
Dee @winthrop317.bsky.social

Since having covid less than a year ago two family members have had chronic 'throat issues' and lingering cold-like symptoms, that unlike a cold persist. (And I have to hear how it's due to something they did at work or too much talking).

may 6, 2025, 2:50 pm • 0 0 • view
avatar
Olga II @notamelo.bsky.social

👋 This is me. I’ve been absent from university and life in general since 9/2024. The doctors actually suggested long COVID at some point (I have not been sick since pre 2020) but this seems to be just low iron. (The doctors don’t agree.)

may 6, 2025, 2:47 pm • 0 0 • view
avatar
Olga II @notamelo.bsky.social

And the cure for possible long COVID? Happy thoughts and breathing exercises.

may 6, 2025, 2:47 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
Steve Martin @stevemartin12666.bsky.social

Too much sugar and tv.

may 6, 2025, 2:38 pm • 0 0 • view
avatar
sitnstitch.bsky.social @sitnstitch.bsky.social

I see it in traditional K-12. I just moved to a non-traditional dual enrollment “middle college” HS. The kids take HS graduation requirements w us and the rest of their classes are in the Community College system that houses our campus. The FLEXIBILITY of scheduling has vastly improved mental health

may 6, 2025, 2:13 pm • 5 0 • view
avatar
sitnstitch.bsky.social @sitnstitch.bsky.social

But it hasn’t fixed EVERYTHING. We are still coaching resilience and REAL self-care (stress reduction via time management and realistic expectations etc). Burnout is endemic, and the students have no sense of pacing themselves.

may 6, 2025, 2:15 pm • 3 0 • view
avatar
Lev @levkonst.bsky.social

I see it when interviewing programmers for a job. People with a lot of experience get very confused and lost in a simple live coding task. That's sad to see.

may 6, 2025, 3:10 pm • 4 0 • view