The belief is that a Nigerian student only has to deal with reading and making excellent grades but students encounter a range of pressures that contribute to their mental health struggles.
High Expectations Cause Stress
Getting top grades, taking on leadership roles, and building an impressive resume is important. The competition is fierce, so some students can overload on courses. Sacrificing sleep and social lives, and driven to be perfect leaves one feeling constant anxiety and depression. But stress also harms memory and focus, leading to poor exam results.
Financial Burdens and Entrepreneurship
There are so many student entrepreneurs now because managing the financial burden of education while pursuing studies is a significant challenge. Adetutu, a student at the University of Lagos, shared her experience of bearing the financial burden of her family while also running a business selling wigs and clothing. Balancing entrepreneurship, academic commitments, and personal responsibilities added immense stress to her life.
There were always clashes between classes, assignments, and sorting out business orders and delivery. Unable to afford an assistant because she needed all the money she could make, meant sleeping late, and delays in her response time to customers. It all impacted her business.
Sexual Harassment and Exploitation
Another pervasive issue faced by students is sexual harassment and exploitation. This is common as we keep hearing about this every time.
Ronke disclosed the distressing encounters she had with a lab attendant who demanded sexual favours in exchange for project assistance, despite knowing that she was married.
Academic Pressure and Expectations
The pressure to excel academically is extraordinarily high in Nigerian universities. Students face the constant expectation of being among the top achievers, often leading to immense stress and anxiety.
Habeeb, a student at Lagos State University, expressed his feelings of suffocation and questioning the purpose of his education in an environment that feels inhibiting.
Stress from Overwhelming Schedules
Heavy course loads, extracurricular, and part-time jobs leave many students overwhelmed. Racing between classes, work, assignments, and activities leaves little time to rest. A large number of students report feeling constantly stressed and overwhelmed due to jam-packed schedules.
Lecturer-Student Dynamics and Gaslighting
The relationship between students and lecturers can also be a significant source of mental distress. Some students mentioned the pressure to treat lecturers as small gods simply because of their position. Students often face severe consequences for minor offenses such as not greeting a lecturer.
Cultism and Campus Safety
Despite efforts to curb cultism, Nigerian universities are still challenged by cult-related activities. Akan, a student, notes that authorities are aware of the presence of cultists but choose to remain silent. The perpetual threat to safety and security adds additional stress for students who are supposed to be focused on their studies.
Religious School Fellowships
A student pointed out how the politics in the fellowship and the different programs limit her time to take a deep breath. She feels quitting fellowships will make people think she has backslidden which she does not want.
Addressing Mental Health Challenges Among Students
As a Nigerian student one must navigate through the pressures of the educational system – financial burden, sexual harassment, academic pressure, lecturer-student dynamics, safety concerns, and various other stressors that impact well-being.
Educational institutions should prioritize mental health by offering accessible and confidential counselling services, creating awareness campaigns, and implementing wellness programs. Universities should also establish strong systems to address incidents of harassment and exploitation, ensuring a safe and inclusive learning environment.
Parents and guardians can support their children’s mental health by being present, empathetic, and understanding. They can encourage open conversations, and when necessary, seek professional help or guidance.
We conducted a poll on different survival measures of students, read the Part 2 of this article to discover them.
