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.
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.
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/...
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...
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.
Because we can’t fix what we keep pretending is just an individual failing.
Yes. I've seen exactly this scenario unfold. It's heartbreaking.
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.😢💔
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).
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.
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.
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).
👋 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.)
And the cure for possible long COVID? Happy thoughts and breathing exercises.