Failure and setbacks are commonplace in the college experience. When students first experience this in higher education, they may feel demotivated and hesitant about it. Students should instead use any challenges as a learning opportunity and fuel for the future.
When the word failure is brought up, your heart rate may begin to pick up or maybe your hands start feeling sweaty. It feels like a dirty word, and it is treated as such. College is meant to be a place to grow and challenge yourself. Even so, minor setbacks sometimes feel like the end of the world.
Kate West, assistant professor of instruction of journalism and media, is actively making strides to encourage her students to become more comfortable with the concept of failure.
“I view failure as a key component to the academic process,” West said. “We learn valuable lessons in life on what we’ve done wrong and how we can do better.”
West describes failures, or challenges, as unseen setbacks that might push you back in the journey of what you are trying to accomplish. It doesn’t always mean flunking a test or forgetting to study. The smaller failures can also be forgetting to wake up on time or skipping out on office hours.
Participating in conversations, not complaining, about failures can help the challenge feel less like a weight on your shoulders.
“I always tell students, the more we encounter this, and the more we discuss it, we normalize it, it doesn’t feel so shameful,” West said. “It doesn’t make us feel like we failed, because we realize that this is just a normal part of everyday life, and as that continues to happen, we become more resilient.”
Bilal Saadi, a biomedical engineering sophomore, said his failures typically come in the form of forgetting to turn in an assignment on time or opting out of extra credit opportunities.
“I tell myself, I can do (an assignment) later or right before it’s due,” Saadi said. “I always end up getting busy, so I need to get things done beforehand rather than telling myself I’ll do it right before Friday night when I’m busy.”
When he faces small setbacks, Saadi always tries to take action quickly.
“Usually, I start by trying to reach out to my professor, and they help me with getting either a late grade or figuring out what went wrong,” Saadi said. “After that, I usually feel more calm about what happened, and I’m able to make a plan for next time, while also not worrying about the outcome of before.”
Academic challenges are a natural part of the college experience. It may feel uncomfortable to students who are not used to facing failures, but learning to reframe the idea of failure is important to succeeding after challenges.
“This is your safe space to ask questions, to say you need help because you are working with some of the best professors in the country who have expertise in the area you’re studying,” said West.
Lechner is a journalism sophomore from Rowlett, Texas.